Gay+Marriage+and+Opposition

In this supposed “modern” age, there is still 11% of our population who remains persecuted and without the rights of the majority. Gay Americans cannot serve in the military openly , cannot marry, and, until just March of 2010, were not protected from hate crimes under Federal Law. Although progress has been made, polls show that on 30% of Americans think that gay marriage should be legal (just think, that’s only %20 of straight people). Another %20 of Americans support recognition for Civil Unions, but 35% of Americans think that there should be no recognition at all (Barkus). This huge evidence of prejudice may be overwhelming and anti-progressive, but in the past five years states have slowly been starting to pass bills permitting gay-marriage (as gay marriage is a state right).
 * __The Battle for Gay-Rights __ **

On May 13th, 2004, Massachusetts became the pioneers of total equality in America by legalizing gay marriage (Wolfsan). The significance of this event for the battle for gay rights is still unknown. It seemed as though Massachusetts would stand on its own until, in May of 2008, California finally legalizes same-sex marriage after nearly 10 years of legislature. Governor Arnold Swartzengger had been vetoing the proposed bill the entire time he had been in office, even declaring the marriage certificates issued in San Francisco null and void. However, when the Supreme Court of California at last overruled his decisions, thousands of gay couples triumphantly flocked to their respective city halls and left (even more triumphant) with marriage certificates in hand. Then, nearly 2 years after the legalization, a counter-bill called Proposition 8 was introduced which turned the law back around and actually re-illegalized gay marriage. National outr age ensued—many people pointed out the blatant prejudice that Prop 8 displayed. At last, in early August of this year, Prop 8 was overturned by U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker who said “ Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license…Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples” (Dwyer). In the middle of country in 2010, Iowa also legalized gay marriage, an action which surprised many other states due to their location in one of the more conservative areas of the country. A lso, in October of 2008 Connecticut legalized homosexual marriage. To follow were Vermont, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington D.C. (Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance). There has certainly been a huge amount of progress made, but we as a nation need to work harder to ensure that all of our citizens, no matter what shape, size, color, or sexual orientation, acquire equal rights once and for all. 
 * __States Begin to Legalize __ **