I recently saw this really great video, called “Fidelity”. It was created by the Courage Campaign in California. What’s it all about? Last May, same-sex marriage was legalized in California. Between May and November, approximately 18,000 same-sex couples were married in the state. When Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage, passed in the November the status of the existing marriages came into question.
This video is the Courage Campaign’s response. Watch it, and if you feel moved visit the Courage Campaign’s site and sign the petition.
“Fidelity”: Don’t Divorce… from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.
As a Canadian, I am glad that same-sex marriages are legally recognized here. The first marriages were performed in Ontario and British Columbia in 2003. And in July of 2005 same-sex marriages were recognized nationwide. In spite of challenges by various political groups, the law has stood and as of 2006 there were over 12,000 same-sex couples who were legally married in Canada. It says something about the size of our country that fewer people were married here over the course of 3 years than in a single US state in approximately 6 months.
Vancouver Pride Parade, 2006
More than 5 years after the first same-sex marriages were performed, our country has not descended into anarchy. Heterosexual marriages remain as good or bad as they ever were. Churches are not forced to perform same-sex marriages if they prefer not to. To be fair, churches aren’t even forced to perform heterosexual marriages, either. It’s not like Jon and I could just march up to our local Catholic church and be married as two non-Catholics. Extending marriage rights has not harmed traditional marriage or resulted in any sort of chaos that I am aware of.
I think in a free and democratic society we must extend basic rights to others when they in no way infringe on our own. You may believe, for example, that it’s wrong to live together before marriage. Fair enough. But you don’t have the right to impose that belief on others, or pass laws to prevent them from exercising their own free will. What makes same-sex marriage any different? Nothing that I can think of. I hope that the State of California, and all other jurisdictions, come to see it that way as well.
Like many Californians, I was stunned when Prop 8 passed.
Several years ago, I had friends who traveled up to Canada to be married. I’m glad that same-sex marriage is still valid there! I like how you point out that your country hasn’t descended into anarchy.
i am embarrassed to live in california.