thelesbianlifestyle.com

Marriage Is A Human Right, Not a Heterosexual Privilege

The Constitution represents the bar we place on human rights. A profound document insuring that our differences bring us enlightenment and are never used a weapon of oppression.The current efforts to rape the original intention of our Constitution is an outrage with far reaching implications that will go well beyond just stripping homosexuals of their inherent human rights. I implore people to look at this past their acceptance or non-acceptance of homosexuality. Trust that if our current administration is allowed to federally mandate how we love - using the Constitution to take rights away instead of insuring them, everyone will be at risk. Are there really people willing to Constitutionally protect discrimination?

The Institution Of Marriage Does Not Need Protecting.

Homosexuals do not have designs on the institution of marriage. We do not form in large, underground groups and plan to take over your churches. Many of us practice our religion, exercise our faith and spirituality and we do that in places where we are embraced. We are not looking for a religious fight. This is a common mistake people make. They feel the homosexual “agenda” involves bombarding your churches and forcing the priest in a hundred year old Catholic Church to preside while two men walk the aisle. Or the Rabi aghast because he is meant to perform a traditional ceremony for a white Jewish woman and a black Buddhist woman. No, we don’t want to rock your churches, beliefs, practices. Why on earth would we want those presiding over our unions to be those who detest our right to exercise that union? We have a far less radical agenda. We want, no we demand the right to express love and to be legal spouses. Such basic rights. To say that we do not have them is to say that the Constitution selectively protects human rights.

Consider first that….we are here. We are productive citizens, paying our taxes, starting businesses and providing jobs. We are active in our communities, politically motivated with a desire for unity, we make up a substantial demographic in the nation’s economy. We are your friends and co-workers. We are coupling and raising open minded, aware and loving children.

Now picture Mr & Mrs Heterosexual. When he romantically proposed, that was not followed by a conversation on where their marriage would be safe and legally recognized. I can assure you that Mrs. Heterosexual was never told that she is not fit and no longer has the legal right to raise a child - the most basic right given to a woman. When Mrs. Heterosexual has that health scare, I can assure you that Mr. Heterosexual is not told he may not see her because he is not a spouse or family member. Mrs. Heterosexual will also have the incredible luxury of being covered on Mr. Heterosexuals insurance policy. Mr & Mrs Heterosexual are fortunate indeed that when they consider the dreaded prospect of loosing their spouse - they are not also faced with the fact that they will then lose everything they own and have accumulated as a couple because the state does not recognize their assets as joint assets. If Mrs. Heterosexual passes away first, Mr Heterosexual will actually be able to keep his children.

Gays and Lesbians - loving and life long couples are forced to struggle with these issues on a daily basis. Basic human rights—for some anyway. There are currently laws in place that make the discrimination of Gays and Lesbians illegal. Have I ever - once been able to wholly wrap myself in the protection that law is meant to offer me? No.