Back in middle school, I once got into an argument with a classmate about gay people. I defended them; she vilified them. The argument ended when she accused me of being gay, which was worse than being called a girl.
Were I to have the same argument today, I wouldn’t care if I were called gay or a girl, though I am neither. It would be no more offensive than to call me a giraffe, and considering the people I know who are female, or gay, or both, I would take it as a compliment.
Today’s Supreme Court decision validates my stance of twenty-plus years ago (and, more importantly, validates the feelings of millions of people), though the journey continues for full equality (as it does for women). Still, the rays of that distant sun are starting to warm the earth, and in a nation where equality under the law has been the goal, faster in theory than in practice, the 5-4 decision handed down today moves us closer to that goal. It also reminds us that ignorance — which breeds fear, and is the natural state of undeveloped man — is what needs to be conquered, and the best way to do that is with facts.
When we are born, everything is new and scary. As we learn more about our world, the monsters in our closets turn into clothes, those under our beds into shoes. The scary becomes mundane. True, there are actual dangers in the world, and we shall always fear the unknown. The trick is to not confuse what we fear with what is dangerous.
Same sex marriage is not dangerous. Same sex marriage is as boring and mundane as straight marriage, and those who claim that it makes a farce of traditional marriage, well, you might want to educate yourself on traditional marriage.
In the next few days, months, years, and probably decades, there’ll be grumbling from people who “don’t get” homosexuality, or bisexuality, or how someone born male can identify as female, or vice-versa. But complete understanding isn’t needed for complete acceptance. All that’s needed is the understanding that LGBT people are people, and therefore a victory for them — and for love — is a victory for all.
Dreams of Literary Grandeur 