Quickies: 2/08/2012
By Our dear Rachel is out sick, and she asked someone to post some quickies for her. Ask and you shall receive, friend (though it may be, like 6 hours late). Hope you get well soon, Rachel.
Marriage Equality News:
- Proposition 8, which banned marriage equality in California, found to be unconstitutional by 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The case will likely head to Supreme Court. Yessenia points out an epic quote from the ruling: “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples.”
- Washington State headed quickly towards passing marriage equality. The bill passed the Senate last week, and will be voted on this afternoon by the House. Governor Chris Gregorie, who requested the measure be brought up for a vote, says she will sign the law when passed.
- A marriage equality bill has been introduced in Illinois.
- Polling in New Hampshire shows strong opposition among voters to a bill that would repeal marriage equality in that state.
Bigotry Abounds:
- Ellen responds to “One Million Moms” organization’s call for her to be fired as JC Penny Spokesperson.
- Gay youth’s beating caught on tape. Investigation continues.
- More transphobia and cissexism in legislation.
- CNN’s Roland Martin doubles down on homophobic Superbowl tweet. (UPDATE: CNN suspends Martin.)
- Mixed reaction to gay beauty pageant in Namibia.
Around the Skeptical Blogosphere…
- Rebecca continues to call out the patriarchy (and, as expected, the menz come in to derail!)
- Stephanie Zvan of Almost Diamonds talks about how British lawmakers have failed the Turing test.
- Ian Cromwell of The Crommunist Manifesto jumps into some continuing discussions over whether or not Islamophobia exists.
Image from CNN’s Proposition 8 Political Ticker blog.
Good news, bad news, and head-slapping stupidity.
Oh, world, why you so crazy?
A friend on FB posted a “yay” on Prop 8 being repealed, and one of his friends (who I don’t know) made a comment along the lines of “this is sad news for those of us who still value traditional marriage.” So I commented back, “How does marriage equality threaten traditional marriage? I really want to know. I am married to a man, and our marriage is not harmed in any way when a gay marriage takes place. It’s people loving each other, which makes me happy.”
I was talking about it with my mom later last night, and from her perspective (which I haven’t heard from anyone else), the harm could be married couples with families where one of the couple is gay and hid it because of the times (she’s in her 70’s), and now feels that they can come out, and it breaks up the marriage. I argued that it’s better to be true to yourself than to live a lie. If gay people can marry, they won’t have to have “lavender marriages” any more.
Not to mention it seems highly unlikely that marriage rights would be the tipping point when it comes to breaking up lavender marriages. I can only imagine the scenario:
“Well honey, I’d have ended our sexless sham marriage years ago to be with [gay lover], except I didn’t want to take the hit in taxes.”
I haven’t heard that one either, carolw. But I agree with both you and delictuscoeli. I find that argument so backwards! Do those marriages exist (at all anymore?) because of the lack of marriage equality or because of social stigma in certain groups against queer folks? I’d argue it’s the latter. Marriage equality increases visibility of queer couples (even though it does nothing for poly folks, which is a big problem!), which increases tolerance (if not acceptance).
Anyway, even if your mom’s argument was correct, I’m not sure that’s really harming anyone for precisely the reason you suggested–that living a lie and hiding is more harmful than living openly.
I have to say, I love that people are challenging religious bigots on their comments about traditional marriage more openly now. I’ve started noticing it all over (outside the queer community) when 5-10 years ago people just accepted the notion of “traditional” marriage needing protection.
Where my mom’s coming from with her argument is a particular event with family friends. Married, two kids, the kids graduate high school and the parents retire, then the father leaves the wife and comes out. I said good for him, except he used all he and his wife’s savings for his lover’s hospital bills. My mom holds that against him, even though he passed away years ago. She didn’t even go to his funeral. It’s been a point of contention between us for years. I said she should have gone to the funeral for the wife and kids, he was dead, he wouldn’t know whether she was there or not. She’s friends with another couple, the husband of which I’m sure is in the closet, but they’re of that generation where practically nobody lived out. They married and were miserable their whole lives, or had affairs. How terribly traditional.