she said. Ellen got married.
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It is incredible how insightful a child can be. At the end of this summer I had a conversation with a 10-year-old that I will never forget. We were sitting in the living room browsing through magazines. She finished her J-14 and reached for a new selection. She picked up a People magazine with the wedding of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi as the cover story. Wow she said. Ellen got married. I nervously waited for her to say more, but she silently flipped through the pages. Well I finally said, What do you think about that? I waited for the questions that I expected to follow. Why are there two brides? Why doesn't she like boys? Isn't this a little weird? Those questions never came. She examined the page for a minute more and then responded, I think they look beautiful. If only everyone were so enlightened. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community is still not accepted in our society. In fact, our country has recently taken a huge step backward with the passing of Proposition 8 in California. Prop 8 revised the state's constitution to state that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. I would have been prepared to answer the question of why Ellen married a girl. However, to the question of why Ellen is no longer married to that girl, I have no answer. I have heard the arguments against gay marriage. Some are against it for religious reasons, some are afraid that it will weaken the institution of marriage, and others can't let go of the idea of the traditional family (one mom, one dad and kids). However, I just can't find anything in those arguments that makes having one group in society less privileged than another acceptable. I don't understand how someone could vote for Prop 8, basically saying to the LGBT community, You do not deserve the same rights as I do. Last week I attended a SafeZone workshop presented by the LGBT Center. The SafeZone workshops are designed to provide a forum for discussing LGBT issues that is, as the name would imply, safe. Any question can be asked without judgment. One of the main goals of the SafeZone workshop is to create allies for the LGBT community on OU's campus. An ally, as defined in the packet we received during the workshop, is a person who is a member of the 'dominant' or 'majority' group who works to end oppression in his or her personal and professional life through support of and as an advocate with and for the oppressed population. Being an ally can be as simple as wearing a SafeZone button on you backpack or correcting someone who uses the word gay as a derogatory term. Marriage is not the only obstacle for the LGBT community. Although OU is generally recognized for being a gay-friendly campus, students in the LGBT community are faced with the oppression that is perpetuated in our society every day. Becoming an ally is an opportunity to stand up against social injustice and provide support for your peers. If nothing else, you will learn more about yourself and your own understanding of the LGBT community. I know that one day history textbooks will be re-written. The gay marriage debate will be looked upon with the same view as women not being allowed to vote or African-Americans having to sit in the back of the bus; it is a ridiculous violation of civil rights. However, I am confident that with resources such as the SafeZone, which provide education and encourage discussion, this day will come even sooner. Christina Stanek is a senior studying Spanish education. Send her an e-mail at cs348305@ohiou.edu. |
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Opinion
Christina Stanek
