Spring Break
Fight for equal rights continues despite California victory
Aditi Dubey
Issue date: 5/23/08 Section: Ed-Op
Newspapers across the nation reported May 16 about California's legalization of gay marriage. Instead of "domestic partnerships" or "civil unions," gay couples can now officially call their relationships "marriages."
The news was met with great enthusiasm among same-sex couples across the state. So far, more than 30,000 same-sex couples are registered in California as domestic partners, according to BBC News. The Washington Post reported that on the day of the ruling itself, gay and lesbian couples had started lining up at San Francisco City Hall by the afternoon to make appointments to get marriage licenses.
California is termed as one of the most "gay-friendly" states in the nation. Until now, gay couples enjoyed all the benefits and responsibilities of marriage; they just couldn't legally refer to it as one. Thanks to the state's domestic partnership legislation, gay couples in California have been able to jointly file income tax returns, bring a foreign partner into the United States and pass social security benefits on to a spouse. They also have obligations of marriage in areas such as insurance and hospital visitation, according to The Washington Post. However, these state-granted rights don't extend to federal-level rights of marriage, which can't be given by states.
While this is a milestone in the work of the nationwide gay rights movement, this new legislation has more of a symbolic significance than anything else. We still have a long way to go. The fact that California, after Massachusetts, will be only the second state in the nation to have legalized gay marriage is an indicator of how far-removed the laws are from the reality of this country. There are more same-sex couples in the U.S. than five years ago - working, paying taxes, making ends meet like any other American - and yet the laws remain the same. They are not free to marry a partner of their choice, and enjoy the same lifestyle, rights and responsibilities as any other married couple. No matter what justification anyone gives, this is discrimination. This is treating someone as if they were a second-grade citizen because of their sexual orientation. And the fact that only two out of 50 states recognize this is despicable.
The news was met with great enthusiasm among same-sex couples across the state. So far, more than 30,000 same-sex couples are registered in California as domestic partners, according to BBC News. The Washington Post reported that on the day of the ruling itself, gay and lesbian couples had started lining up at San Francisco City Hall by the afternoon to make appointments to get marriage licenses.
California is termed as one of the most "gay-friendly" states in the nation. Until now, gay couples enjoyed all the benefits and responsibilities of marriage; they just couldn't legally refer to it as one. Thanks to the state's domestic partnership legislation, gay couples in California have been able to jointly file income tax returns, bring a foreign partner into the United States and pass social security benefits on to a spouse. They also have obligations of marriage in areas such as insurance and hospital visitation, according to The Washington Post. However, these state-granted rights don't extend to federal-level rights of marriage, which can't be given by states.
While this is a milestone in the work of the nationwide gay rights movement, this new legislation has more of a symbolic significance than anything else. We still have a long way to go. The fact that California, after Massachusetts, will be only the second state in the nation to have legalized gay marriage is an indicator of how far-removed the laws are from the reality of this country. There are more same-sex couples in the U.S. than five years ago - working, paying taxes, making ends meet like any other American - and yet the laws remain the same. They are not free to marry a partner of their choice, and enjoy the same lifestyle, rights and responsibilities as any other married couple. No matter what justification anyone gives, this is discrimination. This is treating someone as if they were a second-grade citizen because of their sexual orientation. And the fact that only two out of 50 states recognize this is despicable.
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