Straight couple forced to wed in NM
Image via Mother Jones Pete Marovich/Zuma
It’s a shame when straight people have to sneak around…
“My husband and I were “married” in a ceremony in front of friends and family many years ago.
I never thought we would have to explain that we didn’t want to sign on the dotted line because we believe it simply isn’t fair that not everyone else can. Just like Anderson Cooper shouldn’t have had to say, “The fact is, I’m gay.” The most simple fact is that no one should be discriminated against for being themselves, and having to state that which they are is discrimination in itself. Look at how abhorrently the human race has handled outwardly visible differences. Why demand divisiveness based on any type of orientation? The issue of lifestyle discrimination is no different than if we were homogenous beings, who all looked identical, and only upon declaration of, I’m fat, I’m white, I’m black, I’m old, would we then be assigned the barrage of oppressions and discrimination(s) particular to that declaration.
Even in our own private act of fighting discrimination we have become discriminated against. We are not celebrities or dignitaries who can circumnavigate daily issues with clout or money. We are regular people whose stand for marriage equality was beginning to cost us in a myriad of ways. We were posing as a married couple, a “legitimate” couple, and that came at a price. We have been penalized with a lack of recognition and rights – funny to experience first hand the very injustices we stand against without even utilizing costume or make-up to achieve a ruse.
So I suppose what we are doing now is coming out as a straight, legally married couple. That’s right, the fact is, we’re married.
The legalization of our union is a bittersweet realization. The relief and comfort of “legitimacy”, is only tarnished with the knowledge that others all over the country are simply not allowed to enjoy the same choice, let alone granted the same rights.
Why do we stand for marriage equality? No, our son isn’t gay, we’re not particularly close to a gay couple doing a bang-up job raising orphans, but we do know some run-of-the-mill, yet particularly beloved people who happen to be members of the LGBT community. Why would the belief in basic human rights for all come with any of the preceding requisites anyway? It is more than enough to know right from wrong, to at least know the meaning of the word discrimination, and to not stand for it. Sure, I’ve faced various forms of discrimination throughout my life (my husband not so much, he’s a fit, educated, blue eyed, straight, white man with good credit), and I suppose we can be labeled a bi-racial couple, but moreover we stand for marriage equality because we believe that if and when anyone falls in love, that is all, they are in love. Let it be.” -NewlyWedinNM
