So I posted this on my blog, but would really like to discuss it over here as well, find out your opinions, etc.
The fight for equality around the world is something which I support with all my heart. Equality of all kinds, but especially equal rights for the LGBT-community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) and anyone who’s not heterosexual for that matter (believe me – LGBT does not cover everyone who’s not straight).
And so I couldn’t help but feel very happy when I read this article this morning:
New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage
For people over here in the Netherlands, this may seem rather silly, and very outdated, as same-sex marriage has been allowed here for 10 years already and adopting a child has been legally allowed for gay couples since 2000 (adopting Dutch child) and 2009 (adopting foreign child).
But for the US this is a huge step towards equality. Same-sex marriage was already allowed in 5 other states (Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire), but New York, as the 3rd most populous state of the country, is now the biggest state allowing gay marriage.
Now lets hope other states will follow. Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and New Jersey have already made a step in the right direction, allowing gay civil unions, but that still doesn’t provide equality.
Perhaps with celebrities like Eliza Dushku, Alyssa Milano, Lady Gaga, and many others, voicing their support for the legislation of same-sex marriage, along with so many people around the world, other states and countries will follow New York’s example.
Perhaps, if we all voice our support we might get people like Julia Gillard (Australian PM) to see that what she and her party stand for does NOT “include the whole community, truly understanding and representing people in every place”.
If that were the case, she would actually want to allow people of the same sex to marry. Sure, she represents “the whole community” – the whole heterosexual community, that is!
These things anger me so much. I mean, I know the Netherlands have some rather controversial laws and rules regarding rather sensitive and/or taboo subjects (euthanasia, drugs, abortion, same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption), but at least the Netherlands allow people to be themselves, to make their own choices. I’m not saying the laws are flawless or anything, but at least over here people can actually be themselves, not having to hide their true selves.
Now, one might argue that people in the US, for example, a gay couple in Kansas can be themselves and follow their own beliefs. Of course they can, as long as they don’t act on their wishes to marry or adopt a child…
Or what about a terminally ill man in Georgia, whose illness makes him suffer immensely, both physically and mentally. I can imagine him wanting to have euthanasia performed on him (is that how it’s said?). Of course he’s free to follow his wishes, as long as it’s not THAT wish..
And what about a young girl in Kansas who’s raped and cannot provide a proper home for the child, or even carry out the pregnancy without risking her own life? By the way things are going, soon she won’t be able to have an abortion, with the TRAP laws in place.
But yes, of course, The US of A is a free country, where people can be who they want to be, and follow their dreams.
Right.
Let’s just hope that New York passing the same-sex marriage law is the beginning, and that people will finally see that people are people, and that we’re all equal, no matter what race, heritage, sex, or anything. We all deserve to live life the way we want it (as long as we don’t harm others, that is).
Okay, that’s it for my rant on equality for now.
I can do no more than voice my support and hope others will raise their voices and show their support in the fight for equality around the world.
The fight for equality around the world is something which I support with all my heart. Equality of all kinds, but especially equal rights for the LGBT-community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) and anyone who’s not heterosexual for that matter (believe me – LGBT does not cover everyone who’s not straight).
And so I couldn’t help but feel very happy when I read this article this morning:
New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage
For people over here in the Netherlands, this may seem rather silly, and very outdated, as same-sex marriage has been allowed here for 10 years already and adopting a child has been legally allowed for gay couples since 2000 (adopting Dutch child) and 2009 (adopting foreign child).
But for the US this is a huge step towards equality. Same-sex marriage was already allowed in 5 other states (Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire), but New York, as the 3rd most populous state of the country, is now the biggest state allowing gay marriage.
Now lets hope other states will follow. Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and New Jersey have already made a step in the right direction, allowing gay civil unions, but that still doesn’t provide equality.
Perhaps with celebrities like Eliza Dushku, Alyssa Milano, Lady Gaga, and many others, voicing their support for the legislation of same-sex marriage, along with so many people around the world, other states and countries will follow New York’s example.
Perhaps, if we all voice our support we might get people like Julia Gillard (Australian PM) to see that what she and her party stand for does NOT “include the whole community, truly understanding and representing people in every place”.
If that were the case, she would actually want to allow people of the same sex to marry. Sure, she represents “the whole community” – the whole heterosexual community, that is!
These things anger me so much. I mean, I know the Netherlands have some rather controversial laws and rules regarding rather sensitive and/or taboo subjects (euthanasia, drugs, abortion, same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption), but at least the Netherlands allow people to be themselves, to make their own choices. I’m not saying the laws are flawless or anything, but at least over here people can actually be themselves, not having to hide their true selves.
Now, one might argue that people in the US, for example, a gay couple in Kansas can be themselves and follow their own beliefs. Of course they can, as long as they don’t act on their wishes to marry or adopt a child…
Or what about a terminally ill man in Georgia, whose illness makes him suffer immensely, both physically and mentally. I can imagine him wanting to have euthanasia performed on him (is that how it’s said?). Of course he’s free to follow his wishes, as long as it’s not THAT wish..
And what about a young girl in Kansas who’s raped and cannot provide a proper home for the child, or even carry out the pregnancy without risking her own life? By the way things are going, soon she won’t be able to have an abortion, with the TRAP laws in place.
But yes, of course, The US of A is a free country, where people can be who they want to be, and follow their dreams.
Right.
Let’s just hope that New York passing the same-sex marriage law is the beginning, and that people will finally see that people are people, and that we’re all equal, no matter what race, heritage, sex, or anything. We all deserve to live life the way we want it (as long as we don’t harm others, that is).
Okay, that’s it for my rant on equality for now.
I can do no more than voice my support and hope others will raise their voices and show their support in the fight for equality around the world.
Last edited by a moderator:
