By Rachel Luchmun
With last month’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, advocates of same-sex marriage on campus hope the future will bring more positive developments.
Proposition 8, or Prop 8, stated that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” A ruling on Feb. 7 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the law unconstitutional. Both opponents and proponents of gay marriage are prepared to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, according to the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk).
At the college, the club Queers and Allies is devoted to bringing awareness and support to people from all sexual orientations and gender identity. President Tom O’Tey said the club was pleased with the ruling against Prop 8.
“We were all very happy,” O’Tey said. “What this means is that we are not being denied our basic human rights.”
O’Tey said the next step was to bring the matter before the Supreme Court. He said he hopes that eventually gay marriage is accepted throughout the nation, not just in individual states.
“I’m kind of offended that [individual states have to make that decision],” he said. “What is really the difference between a straight couple and a gay couple?”
Among the more vocal groups against gay marriage are some religious groups, who claim that same-sex marriage goes against prescriptions in holy texts. For example, the website “No Same-Sex Marriage” (http://www.nosamesexmarriage.com) refers to the Bible as evidence that same-sex marriage should not be allowed.
O’Tey said he was not concerned with the religious view of the matter, but rather about the everyday implications of legal recognition.
“There are government benefits,” O’Tey said. “You can be kicked out of a hospital room if your partner is sick or dying because you are not officially family.”
O’Tey said this happened to a woman who was a member of Queers and Allies last year.
“She had proposed the night before, and the next day [her fiancée] started having seizures,” O’Tey said. “When they went to the hospital, this member was denied the right to be there and hold her hand as her fiancée died. And that’s just not right.”
Timothy Lin, Kansas area director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, said InterVarsity Kansas does not have a stance on gay marriage.
“We do not take a stance on this ethical issue,” Lin said. “We deal mainly with things of a spiritual nature, and some would argue that this issue is also political. So, we have not talked about it yet.”
Lin said, however, that all were welcome to the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, whether they are gay or straight.
Christian groups Young Life and Cru (formally Campus Crusade for Christ) did not respond to questions about their opinions.
O’Tey said the college community is very much accepting of alternative lifestyles, even though there is always room for improvement.
“If there are any groups that are against gay marriage on campus, I haven’t heard anything about it,” he said.
Student Jacob Burghart said he believes gay marriage is a touchy subject.
“I shouldn’t be forced to have an opinion,” Burghart said. “I don’t really think [gay marriage is] as degrading to the institution as Kim Kardashian’s wedding. At the same time there are lots of religious implications. It doesn’t bother me one way or another.”
Contact Rachel Luchmun, managing editor, at rluchmun@jccc.edu.