BEDA - Aug4 - Fuck Proposition 8

I'm not going to lie to you readers. I almost forgot to blog today. But never fear. Something VERY important just happened, and I felt compelled to blog, and as such made my way over here.

For those of you who may be reading this who aren't familiar with Proposition 8 I'll give you a quick recap of the story so far (I doubt there are many, but it's possible.) In short, in 2008, a referendum took place in California on whether or not to ban same-sex marriage - reclassifying marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Despite huge campaigns from both sides of the debate, the anti side narrowly won, and the referendum passed. This was a huge blow for equality, and one which has been fought vehemently since the day it first passed.

Well finally, today, August 4th 2010, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker residing in San Francisco has overturned the ban, ruling that it is unconstitutional, and that it goes against people's RIGHT to marry whomsoever they may choose.

This is only the first step in what will be a monumental process - there will inevitably be numerous appeals from the other side, but this is a first step. A first step towards equality, and fairness for all.

You may be sat there thinking: "I'm neither gay, nor living in California, what does this have to do with me", and hey, I could think just the same, all of that applies to me too, but I'm not. Because humanity is a shared thing. And our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community are just as much a part of our shared existence as me or any straight person.

And after all: if you take away a person's right to love and be loved, then what is humanity anyway?