YES ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY!!!

[J'Lurker]

And just for the snark:

buzzfeed.com/daves4/its-legal-there#.bbxwwGa2kQ

[16strong]

And just for the snark:

buzzfeed.com/daves4/its-legal-there#.bbxwwGa2kQ

Oh, I SO hope that some of these dolts move to Canada, and don't find out that they have marriage equality until after the move. :lol:

[Fascinated]

This ruling, and all the celebratory emoticons jumping around on my iPad, are making my day. Congratulations to the good ole U.S. of A, and to everyone affected by the ruling (which is actually everyone, if you think about it!) :clap:

[Geechee Girl]

I'm crying tears of joy! This victory for civil rights was a longtime coming. I never thought in my lifetime I'd see a Black President, and now marriage equality. I'm proud to be an American today. It is my hope this decision will be taught in public schools as a great moment in our nation's fight to uphold the Constitution because the protections of the 14th Amendment applies to ALL of us. Justice for all...is music to my ears.

Oh, Happy Day!

[Ofglen]

I'm unstriking to address that, since this is being debated on my book of face this morning.

This ruling is far more important than I think it's being given credit for. Yes, there are other important issues too, but getting marriage equality send the strong legal message that the queer community's RIGHTS are EQUAL to the straight cis community. A lot of the problems about equal healthcare and other services is people haven't seen seen as having equal rights to equal access, but now sexuality can't be used against people since EQUAL RIGHTS MEANS EQUAL RIGHTS. You can get married, have the same rights as a married couple. I don't think there are really any rights for unmarried straight couples. Partnership rights come with marriage, and now that's equal.

This breaks down a lot more barriers than just having a marriage ceremony and filing taxes jointly. This wall coming down means that sexuality can't be used to deny equality.

I guarantee you that no matter what queer issue was on the table, marriage or any of the others, whichever one getting a favorable ruling would have some people saying the others are more important. Progress is progress, and this is the first time SCOTUS has made a ruling with this kind of an impact. Before, it was just no discrimination within the military. Now it's nationwide.

Eh, I striked it out because i didn't want to start an intense debate/be too negative on a board that's so happy, but i like to keep things in perspective w/r/t the marriage issue, which is complicated for a lot of queer people.

I want to specify that I do thing this ruling is important. It's obviously really symbolic, but the effects of equal marriage (health care, etc.) are obviously very important and far reaching. I didn't mean to imply that I think marriage is only symbolic and has no real effects.

I think that the problem with this argument (your second paragraph) is that the face of this mainstream queer community for so long has been a white, cis, rich, abled, very privileged gay community in many ways group- i.e., a group that has been able to pay for and sustain the marriage movement. They've been funding their priorities. And this privileged group has become very caught up in distancing themselves from queers that aren't as privileged/desirable/don't look as good on paper/whatever- it's a direct step away from the roots of Stonewall. And so while you're right that it is sending a strong message that the queer community's right are equal- this is one very specific queer community that has been the face of this movement and one very specific community that will be the beneficiaries of this strong message.

(Re: your last paragraph) The fact is that other queer issues that don't primarily benefit the rich and privileged have never received as much press and coverage as this. How much do you hear about trans incarceration rates and abuse/denial of hormones/healthcare in jail/prison (this has some info here, i can give more sources if people are interested, but I don't want this post to be too long: http://www.thetaskforce.org/static_html ... s_full.pdf), queer/trans homelessness rates/discrimination of trans people in shelters, suicide rates + mental illness of queer/trans people, drug addiction, survival sex work and also how this relates to police brutality and "walking while trans", racism, medical abuse, etc.

We may hear stories here and there, like the few big stories that happen to make headlines like CeCe Mcdonald, but the fact is that these issues really aren't at the forefront of our discussions. People can't really say that these are getting too much time because talked about because they're never at the forefront of our discussions. No other topic as it relates to the queer community has ever been on the level of discussion that marriage has. These are not the issues that are getting favorable rulings. For way too many people they aren't even on the horizon- people don't even realize they're issues because they're not talked about and they don't personally experience the problem.

So that's sort of my issue with marriage being pushed so much. Yes, it is important. Yes, I am absolutely happy that marriage equality is for real now. I got sappy this earlier because hey, this means that someday I can get married in my home state. But I think it's important to remember that because the face of marriage equality has always been a deliberate face of privilege, equality is not going to trickle down. And equality does not have a day in history.

:twocents-02cents:

[FloraKitty35]

:big-heart:

[DGayle]

No one on my Facebook is saying anything but good things. I want to read some crazy ranting too!

I'm slightly amused by what's happening on my Facebook. The conservatives are keeping their traps shut, but 2 queer friends of mine are complaining. 1 is saying that marriage equality isn't important since people still don't have rights in other ways (zir [preferred pronoun] doesn't get that this means more doors will open), and the other is saying this ruling isn't fair since what do bisexuals get out of it. Uh, the right to marry a same-sex partner instead of only an opposite sex partner?

[DGayle]

So he intends to violate what the Supreme Court has found to be a constitutional right? Or do constitutional rights only exist if we are talking about the 2nd Amendment, which I am sure he is quite fond of?

Yes, and yes. He says he's protecting the religious freedom of clerks. If they believe same-sex couples shouldn't get to get married, then they don't have to marry someone of their own sex.

[crazyforkate]

You guys remember that the first state to legalize same-sex marriage did so in 2004, right? (MA.) CA then was temporarily legal in 2008, but really, the rest of it was pretty much from 2010 onward. So in eleven years - and mostly in the last four or five - you got what essentially amounts to 51 small countries in a very diverse political landscape to all change their laws in favour of equality. And surprisingly few of them had to be dragged kicking and screaming by SCOTUS. That is a great achievement!

[danvillebelle]

I am so happy today!!! :cracking-up: :cracking-up: :dance: :dance:

And I must brag on my 14yo daughter. She posted a really heartfelt, eloquent message on FB about how happy she was and how proud she was to be living during this time and see this change, with a big ol' rainbow flag. Her Baptist friends are already quoting scripture at her an hour later and giving her hell - she is not responding and will not back down. :D

[public-school-teecher]

So happy for the US :D

[16strong]

You guys remember that the first state to legalize same-sex marriage did so in 2004, right? (MA.) CA then was temporarily legal in 2008, but really, the rest of it was pretty much from 2010 onward. So in eleven years - and mostly in the last four or five - you got what essentially amounts to 51 small countries in a very diverse political landscape to all change their laws in favour of equality. And surprisingly few of them had to be dragged kicking and screaming by SCOTUS. That is a great achievement!

It's crazy that in a span of about 100 years, we have gone from children's rights to women's suffrage to black rights to gay rights. We have accomplished so much in a century, that many never thought we'd be able to do. Today, I am proud of my country. Although we still have much work yet to do, we are always learning and growing.

[Howl]

Yeah! Travis County (Austin, Texas) immediately began issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples this morning as soon as the decision was announced. They are issuing licenses to couples until 6:30 this evening and also performing marriage ceremonies. Edited to add: it is 6:30 and they have issued almost 200 licenses.

The county clerk's office will be open and available to issue licenses on July 4th, a Saturday!

Just north of Austin, Williamson County, a much more conservative environment, stopped issuing ANY licenses.

Bexar County (San Antonio) decided to delay issuing any licenses to same sex couples.

One church here in Ausin, Central Presbyterian, is decorating and preparing food for tonight's celebration of Decision Day. Woman pastor, of course, who says, that in the spirit of Christ, they do not support bigotry or discrimination in any form. Awesome!

Edited to add that this church is going to begin performing marriage ceremonies right now (6:30 pm).

[SPHASH]

The SCOTUS's ruling today doesn't effect me at all but I want to extend my congrats to the gays and lesbians on FJ.

[guitar_villain]

Yes, and yes. He says he's protecting the religious freedom of clerks. If they believe same-sex couples shouldn't get to get married, then they don't have to marry someone of their own sex.

So could a pacifist Quaker AG refuse to implement Heller by this method?

Just asking. I suspect I know the answer.

/congrats to all you rainbow type folks our there. Should have happened a while ago, but at least it's here.

[halcionne]

My daughter is on a plane from Phoenix to SF right now and she says it's full of Phoenicians who are ready to party for pride and gay marriage!

[DGayle]

Ofglen, I hear about those issues a lot. One of my dearest friends is on the boards of some major rights groups, and they regularly post about issues, and I'm a big IRL ally who puts my money and time where my mouth is. I have friends who've gone through abuse because of their sexuality, and a cousin going through it right now, whose getting shit because if today's ruling and her open support for it. She's a minor, and can't escape, and the abuse is legal where she is. She could realistically get kicked out, and my husband and I are prepared to fly her out here if that happens. We don't ignore the other issues. We can't. But we can hope that today's ruling opens more doors for more help. The way my extended family is treating my cousin puts a pall on today's happiness, but reinforces that there's still societal progress needing to be made, and we all know that the judiciary system is only "fair" to straight white men. Even women are more likely to do longer time for the crimes of men who throw women under the bus.

Today's ruling may be the largest step in the right direction this country has had for equality.

[violynn]

Congratulations to all FJer who will be positively impacted by this decision!

:gay-color:

Seconding ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ :cracking-up: :cracking-up: :cracking-up:

[Callipygian]

:dance: :cracking-up: :dance: :cracking-up: :dance: :cracking-up:

[Arete]

Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make this reality. :clap: Peace and long life to all the couples about to get married.

BTW, anyone set themselves on fire yet? Leave the country? NO? That's a shame. :kiss-ass:

[violynn]

So happy!

[ILoveJellybeans]

My news feed is full of rainbows :D Yay!

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Oh, I SO hope that some of these dolts move to Canada, and don't find out that they have marriage equality until after the move. :lol:

This reminds me of something I saw on Tumblr today:

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

I'm slightly amused by what's happening on my Facebook. The conservatives are keeping their traps shut, but 2 queer friends of mine are complaining. 1 is saying that marriage equality isn't important since people still don't have rights in other ways (zir [preferred pronoun] doesn't get that this means more doors will open), and the other is saying this ruling isn't fair since what do bisexuals get out of it. Uh, the right to marry a same-sex partner instead of only an opposite sex partner?

I've only seen one person complain about it so far. But he did it in a passive aggressive, bible thumper way. "So what if lesbians and gays can marry, god doesn't stop us from committing sins."

[Jana814]

My news feed is full of rainbows :D Yay!

So is mine!!