Late thoughts on DOMA

I was out of the country when I heard that the United States Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act and declared that legally married same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as their married different-sex counterparts.  I was in my friends' apartment in Copenhagen when I got a small pop-up from the Huffington Post on my phone, declaring victory.

I instantly broke into a grin.  I couldn't believe it!  I wanted to jump and shout and celebrate, but alas, I was in a place that was the first country to legally recognize same-sex unions (in 1989, no less).  I'm sure this sort of thing is old news to them, and not a daily struggle for justice as it has been in the United States.

This fight has always been close to my heart.  In 2004, citizens in Michigan,  my home state, passed a constitutional amendment that banned not just same-sex marriage, but any legal recognition of a same-sex union "for any purpose." 

I remember getting a knock on my front door from an anti-LGBT canvasser (with his two children in tow) asking me if I wanted to "protect the sanctity of marriage" by signing to get the measure on the ballot.  I remember volunteering at the polls, asking voters to stand for equality by voting against proposal 2 (as it was known then).  And I remember feeling my heart break as I learned 59% of Michigan voters had voted to take away rights from LGBT residents.

I remember standing in the rain at a post-election rally, feeling defeated, but still vowing to continue to work for justice for all.  I remember marching in this rally, to show that we would not settle for anything short of equal rights.  And I remember how it felt to be given the bullhorn.  I was nervous at first, and my voice shook, but it gradually became loud and strong as I shouted to anyone who would listen that we wanted fairness and equality and would not stop until those goals were achieved.

It's hard to believe a mere 9 years later, same-sex marriage is legal in 12 states.  I'm overjoyed to think that eventually that number will be 50 states.  Because, ultimately, the force that is justice, fairness and love cannot be reckoned with.  And it might take a long time, but it will win just as it did on June 26, 2013.

I also think it's important to remember that there is still so much work to be done.  38 states still lack marriage recognition.  The United States still lacks a federal law prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (although on July 10, 2013, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by 15-7 votes).

And we have a lot of work to do when it comes to ending sexism, racism, classism, ableism, speciesism, etc.  I believe that all oppression comes from the same source (the belief that one group is inherently better than another and is, thus, more deserving of rights), and in order to combat homophobia and heterosexism, we need to get rid of all of the other "ism"s. 

So today, now that I am back in the country, I will celebrate.  I will praise all of the brave souls who tirelessly worked to bring about this day. 

But, tomorrow, let's all pick up those bullhorns again.