Love Story #8

Written by: Thomas Janowski on Oct 11, 2008 5:00 AM EDT

Linked to groups: dfaROCHESTER

In the current issue of the Advocate you'll find an article called Love Stories. The article is both about love and commitment and Proposition 8 in California.  Prop 8 is a ballot measure that will end marriage equality in the state. 

The article opens with 24 photographs of newly and very happily married gay couples, then goes on to feature short stories about 14 of those couples.  For anyone looking for guidence on how to vote on Prop 8, I can offer the following--look at the pictures!  Pictures and captions are all that is needed to help in deciding how to vote. 

As you'd guess, the photos all feature smiling couples.  But there is just one other bit of information that needs to be seen.  The couple profiles all begin with their names, their date of marriage and how many years the couples have been together.  That last bit of information is most revealing.  The "years together" number can be viewed in several ways.  I'm saddened that these couples had to wait so long before they were allowed to marry.  But I'm uplifted by the idea that their marriage wasn't a beginning but a celebrations of years of love and commitment. 

So, here's a listing of the "years together" before getting married for the 14 featured couples:

3 years    11 years    4 years    10 years    30 years    10 years    14 years    17 years    41 years!!

4 years    4 years    12 years    15 years    5 years

I have a warning for the voters of the state of California--DON'T MAKE YOURSELF LOOK STUPID!  At a time when many California marriages are measured in hours, not years, don't deny the love of gay couples. 

Could it be that gay couples are setting the standard for love and commitment--whether they can marry or not?  Could it be that gay couples are showing everyone the true meaning of love and happiness and endurance?  I think so, especially in this day and age when divorce is just as common as marriage among those who marry.

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