As prop 8 unfolds, I can’t help but think how it will play out and if the decisions made in the coming months will impact the rest of the country or just California. If you haven’t really kept up with the prop 8 trial, I highly recommend you read this article – Proposition 8 Ruling Analysis: Why the Narrow Holding? At this point it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the Supreme Court will take on this case and make a judgement that influences law across the country or if it will be left to individual states to decide if they want to pass marriage equality for the LGBT community. It would be great if everyone was able to experience what I’m about to share and were also granted protection from the federal government that all committed couples and families deserve.
A friend sent me this video the day before Valentine’s Day. I have to say this is one of the most gorgeous ceremonies I have ever seen. Every person deserves this! I know people’s attitudes are shifting and it feels like the LGBT community may be beating a dead horse, but when I watch this video everything seems right in the world. And if it seems so right, It’s hard to think why legislation hasn’t been passed that grants all American citizens the right to marry and love whomever they wish to love.
Patrick + Scott from John Hoel on Vimeo.
Watching this video (totally makes me tear up) reminds me why I support the causes I do. When I watch a video like this, it makes me wonder what it would be like to experience something so special in my own city and the place I call my home, Austin. Although attitudes towards marriage equality are shifting slowly, it is within reach and we have to keep working for our rights. Whatever the final outcome is on Prop 8, I think it’s important for each state to keep working towards equality, holding political leaders accountable, and working to pass each bill that will provide protection for our youth and families.
If you’ve recently moved to Austin, I encourage you to get involved in at least one organization. No matter the cause, change starts with individuals. Equality Texas understands this. Their current campaign is to ask the mayors of Texas’ 10 largest cities to demonstrate their support for eliminating discrimination, and ending the exclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples from the institution of marriage. Individual mayors cannot make this happen, but as a group they have the power to start influencing the law. If people press their leaders for change, change will happen. It’s easy to sit around and watch change happen in other states. There are enough people that support change and equality in our own state, that if we want it badly enough we could see marriage equality in Texas sooner than later. If you’ve recently moved from California, New York, or one of the states that has passed a marriage equality bill, help us work towards equality in Texas. It is within our reach!
If you support marriage equality for Texas, share this on your Facebook wall. Let your friends know that just because we live in Texas, doesn’t mean we have to sit and wait. Change needs to happen! We have people to love, lives to live, and families to take care of.
