Those whirlwind weeks in February, when Washington and Maryland both signed marriage equality bills into law seem like ages ago. The momentum was high, as bills cruised almost effortlessly through the states’ House and Senate. Yet today, we’re nursing the metaphorical slaps across our faces and bruises on our hearts after the devastating Amendment One passage in North Carolina and the death of Colorado’s civil union bill.
| “The backlash is merely the surfacing of prejudices, of hostilities, of hatreds and fears that already existed and they are just now starting to open.” – Martin Luther King Jr. |
The gray skies that linger above my New York home symbolize the solemn mood that is overhanging what can sometimes feel like a losing battle. But as Evan Wolfson, founder of Freedom to Marry once so eloquently stated, “There’s no marriage without engagement.” In order to combat the politicians who are dedicating their agenda to denying human rights, it’s now more important than ever to be outspoken, to turn up at the voting polls and to share your stories with anyone who will listen during this crucial civil rights turning point. (Our team has even designed a marriage equality cover image to proudly place on your Facebook page.)
| “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who prefer to favor freedom and yet deprecated agitation are people who want crops without plowing the ground. They want rain without the thunder and lightning.” – civil rights hero Frederick Douglass |
It’s easy to let headlines damper our spirits—I, admittedly, am still numb from Tuesday night’s news. But, even as I write this, my hope raises as my inbox floods with news alerts stating that President Barack Obama has historically announced his support for marriage equality, and there’s no doubt in my mind that one day gay and lesbian couples will have equal rights.
I think I can see a ray of sunshine peeking through the dark clouds. After all, you can’t get a rainbow without the rain.
