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Two Years of Fairness in Massachusetts
Two
Years of Fairness in Massachusetts
by
Seth Kilbourn
As
the second anniversary of marriage equality in Massachusetts has recently
passed, it seems an appropriate moment to salute Gay & Lesbian Advocates
& Defenders (GLAD), the seven plaintiff couples who sacrificed their
privacy in the name of equality, as well as MassEquality, the coalition
that has preserved marriage after continuous attacks from the far right.
Since Nov. 18, 2003 when the Supreme
Judicial Court ruled that loving gay and lesbian couples could not be
excluded from the protections of marriage, so much has changed. In Massachusetts,
nearly 6,500 couples have married since it became legal on May 17, 2004,
and the national debate about equality for our families shifted on its
axis.
Certainly, those Massachusetts
families are safer and more secure today because of marriage. Those couples
now know that they won't be shown the door when their spouse faces a medical
crisis, and mothers and fathers sleep easier knowing their parenthood
status is recognized and honored. But these marriages go beyond the state
border. These families have taught not only their neighbors but all Americans
an important lesson about fairness.
The discussion around marriage
is more than one of benefits. It's a discussion about the type of society
we want to live in. It's the question of whether the "certain inalienable
rights" of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
are American ideals or simply nice ideas. It's about what we want to teach
our children.
Annie Goodridge is a good case in
point. Years ago, when she asked her moms why they couldn't get married,
they didn’t have an answer. Yet, Annie's simple but profound question
helped ignite a lawsuit that under Mary Bonauto's leadership led to the
historic Goodridge decision. Annie and other children, no matter what
their parentage, know that Massachusetts values equality and fairness.
She and her schoolmates know that her parents are valued and recognized
members of the community. And these children have learned that democracy
works best when it applies to everyone.
The Goodridge decision has taught
us all. Much to our opponents' dismay, no marriage has been negatively
affected by Annie's parents having full rights under law. The dire predictions
of anti-gay activists have not come to pass – much like they withered
away in Vermont after civil unions were enacted.
In fact, a majority of Massachusetts
citizens now support marriage equality, and interestingly, Massachusetts
boasts the lowest divorce rate in the country. Elected officials have
grown along with voters as demonstrated by the overwhelming rejection
this year of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
But as we celebrated the
second anniversary of the Goodridge decision, we remember that we have
a lot of work ahead. In Massachusetts, opponents have crafted a second
marriage ban for the 2008 ballot. And nationwide, the far right wing is
twisting marriage equality to scare voters and legislators from enacting
even the most basic protections for the lgbt community. It didn't work
in Maine this November, but it did in Texas. We must be ever vigilant
and continue to tell our stories to our families, friends and colleagues.
As Martin Luther King Jr. said,
"Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends
toward justice." We have seen legalized discrimination defeated through
groundbreaking court decisions, and Goodridge now stands among them. The
arc is bending toward justice, and Massachusetts is ahead of the curve.
Seth Kilbourn is Vice President of the Human Rights Campaign's Marriage
Project.