I don't often use this blog as a soap box, but I can be silent no longer.

Gay marriage should be legal.

It is a civil right.

And I think anyone who doesn't support equality is bigoted.

Here are the facts.

Marriage is a legal institution with legal ramifications.

Here is what a marriage does for partners legally: (yes, I took this from wikipedia)

A marriage, by definition, bestows rights and obligations on the married parties, and sometimes on relatives as well, being the sole mechanism for the creation of affinal ties (in-laws). These may include:

• giving a husband/wife or his/her family control over a spouse’s sexual services, labor, and property.

• giving a husband/wife responsibility for a spouse’s debts.

• giving a husband/wife visitation rights when his/her spouse is incarcerated or hospitalized.

• giving a husband/wife control over his/her spouse’s affairs when the spouse is incapacitated.

• establishing the second legal guardian of a parent’s child.

• establishing a joint fund of property for the benefit of children.

• establishing a relationship between the families of the spouses.

So, while some marriages do happen in churches, the institution itself is a LEGAL agreement between partners. Period.

Why then, does gender matter?

Any consenting adults should be allowed to enter into this legal agreement. Two men, two women, a man and a woman. (and yea, I do think polygamy should also be legal but I'll save that for another day). Sexuality is the last remaining barrier in this country. We can't discriminate based on race, we can't discriminate based on gender, but we can discriminate based on sexuality. I find it appalling.

Some opponents of gay marriage claim that allowing homosexual couples the right to marry destroys the institution of marriage. To them I ask: “how?” There is nothing so special about marriage as an institution that it should be something held exclusive for a select portion of the population. Some claim that marriage was designed to allow couples to have children and that is why homosexuals should not be allowed to marry. If that is your argument, fine. But then straight couples who don't plan to have children should also not be allowed to marry. Of course, that would then include any men who have had a vasectomy and women who have had their tubes tied, had a vasectomy or are on any form of birth control pill.

Some opponents of gay marriage claim that God has said it is a sin. Fine. Believe it's a sin. Marriage is a legal institution. We have a wonderful thing in this country called separation of church and state. If your church condemns homosexuality, then that's your belief. Churches should never be forced to host or perform any marriage they are not comfortable with. Again though, marriage is a legal institution. Homosexual couples should therefore be allowed to be married by an officer of the court.

Day after day I get invitations on Facebook to join the “Yes on Prop 8” cause. Each time one of my “friends” sends me something like this, my heart fills with disappointment. Not only are they choosing to remain bigoted, but they want me to join them in discriminating against my own friends. Never.

Long story short:

If you hate gays and you want them to remain second class citizens in our world... don't tell me about it and don't ever invite me to join you in your cause for hate.

Also, consider this a standing invitation to join with me and my friends as we fight for equality and justice for everyone.