A Thought or Two for Thursday

Yeah California! Proposition 8 was deemed unconstitutional yesterday by a Federal District Judge. Last year the right for same sex couples to marry was rescinded by the government. Now the right to marry is back. But has a few more steps to climb before it is legal for good.


Some may ask why this is so important. My simple answer is because in a democracy ALL the basic rights of individuals are the same and carry the same weight for ALL.


My husband, Ron, and I have been together for a while now. We never thought about marriage until it became available a few years ago here in Canada. When the Federal government decided that it was unconstitutional and against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it put it into law.


Yes, there was a lot of objection to this from different groups who had issues based on religious and moral beliefs.


During this time Ron and I started thinking about what would be the advantages of getting married. Did we want to join the rest of society in this too and get married. We had lived together for years without it. What would be the big difference anyhow?


Well, we decided to 'do it' a year and a half ago. The main reason was that we could. Also that it would be sending out a message to society in general that we have every right to do so. 

I figured that it would also 'solidify' the law somewhat....the more people that took advantage of this 'new' law, it would be more difficult to get rid of it in the future......as it had in California. Plus, it would help future generations of gays and lesbians if the law became more stable and 'used'.

So we got 'hitched'. Wanted it to be very private and informal. The ceremony was at the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and we were married by a Justice of the Peace. Only told two of our friends who 'stood' for us. 

We did not include family till after the event. Why not include them in the celebration? Well, even though they have been very supportive over the years, we wanted something quiet and intimate. They threw a party for us a week later after we told them.

Do we feel different now that we are married? Yes. We don't know exactly why but the whole ceremony and formal commitment thing really made an impression on us, I guess. It made us think about our relationship and thus made us closer. I guess a lot like when married couples renew their vows.

I think it's just a matter of time for the US government to realize that it will be a whole lot easier to pass a law stating that same sex marriage is a basic right and freedom, than to fight it in the courts for the next 100 years.


Or will the United States remain closed off to the world regarding this issue, like it has in the past regarding other basic rights and freedoms of certain individuals?

                            That's my 'ring' finger I'm holding up!
                            We exchanged rings later.