A Celebration Today, Another Battle Tomorrow

I'm celebrating. I'm celebrating because the Supreme Court surprised me by going with 5-4 decisions in favor of declaring the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) invalid and by also declaring that California's Proposition 8 was illegal as originally stated by the Federal courts. It declared the suit invalid and that the lesser court rulings should stand. So, I'm celebrating.

A day of triumph when decisions were announced by the Supreme Court of the US.

BUT

There is still so much to do. Only twelve states plus the District of Columbia actually allow same-sex marriage under their laws and marriage is a state-sanctioned ceremony, not a federal one. So this doesn't mean that a lot of people can suddenly go out and get married, nor does it mean that marriages already made have more legality for the people involved if they live in a state that does not recognize their union as legitimate. What this does mean, however, is that benefits that would be given to any married person under FEDERAL law will now apply to all legitimately and legally married couples no matter their sexual orientation.

Social Security was supposed to be a help to retiring workers. It's become
a help but also a sum of money that people rely on getting when they are
no longer working. No matter that the fund is in serious financial problems...

This can be confusing because the various levels of law all come into play here. Basically it means that Federal rights - social security payments, pensions and annuities, estate taxes, military benefits and recognition for spouses, etc - will now need to be altered to include and acknowledge the spouses of homosexuals/lesbians. It will give same-sex married couples the right to file their Federal income taxes as a true married couple, gaining the tax benefits that exist for other married couples. It will allow them legs to stand on to be acknowledged as a spouse when one or the other is hospitalized or put into acute care where, often, the families of the afflicted person would swarm out and ban the partner from being at the side of his/her loved one.

This will not mean that states rights will also pass to the married couple unless they were married and reside in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages as legitimate.

The Stonewall Riots in 1969 were a watershed moment in gay liberation
history. There are still many places where the police won't intervene
in gay bashing or answer a call for help in such an instance.

Given that fact, I have to say that a VERY important battle has been won. I celebrate and cheer along with the rest of the people because this is monumental. BUT there are still thirty-eight states which do not recognize same-sex marriage as legitimate and which do not allow the licensing or performance of such marriages. There is a lot of work still to be done to bring true equality to all love.

I remember Stonewall, but I was involved in women's rights and black rights
platforms then and it was just a small blip on my radar. But women's rights
happened (mostly) and black rights happened (mostly) and that leaves us
with the 900 pound gorilla in the room - Gay Rights.

So, enjoy your celebrations this week and this weekend. As a nation we have come a long way from the Stonewall Riots of 1969. But after the confetti has fallen to the ground and the rainbow banner is drooping from the rain, buckle back down in the trenches and begin working on the next battle - the 38 remaining states. Don't let one major victory blind you to the end goals of true equality.

Let's paint the US in a Gay Pride rainbow. Love will conquer!

But for today...well, I'm painting the US in rainbow colors...