Paula Ettelbrick makes some very interesting points in her article, Since When is Marriage a Path to Liberation? Ettelbrick is challenging the institution of marriage and arguing that gays fighting for legalized marriage rights are fighting to be considered the same as a heterosexual relationship. This is interesting because from Andrea Vaccaro’s chapter in Leading the Way, we understand Andrea’s reasons for wanting to be married. Andrea wants to be able to become married to her partner for all the reasons a straight man would want to marry his girlfriend. She points out the 1,000 federal benefits that gays are not subjected to because they are not legally married. Ettelbrick makes the argument that legalizing marriage for gays will not stop the oppression gays face from oppressors. She makes a really strong argument by pointing out that everyone in the United States strives to be “normal” and instead of fighting for marriage, continue to fight for equal treatment and zero discrimination for gays from all parties.
Michelle’s youtube link reminded me of the movie The Kids Are Alright. In the movie, Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play a lesbian couple married with two children born with the aid of a sperm donor. The kids find out who their biological father is and want to meet him. He starts off as an immature, irresponsible guy who first says, “I love lesbians” when he finds out that the children has lesbian mothers. The sperm donor, Mark Ruffalo begins to enjoy the responsibility of a family and spending time with the children and the mothers. When I first heard of the movie I thought it was about a lesbian couple. However, after watching it I realized the movie was about family. Just like Zach from the youtube video, who preached he was a normal guy and is doing quite well for himself. I do not understand why parents who are alcoholics and significantly impact their children’s lives are allowed to be parents, but a lesbian couple, like in the movie, face backlash from people who are concerned that the kids will grow up impacted solely on the idea of having lesbian/gay parents. Annette Bening and Julianna Moore play a role that is similar to the gay couple on Modern Family. All relationships have problems and all of those problems are going to be different depending on race, class, sexuality, age, religion and much more.
The government should not be able to tell people who can and cannot get married. Giving the rights to legalized marriage to all is not going to have a negative impact on the country. It seems so barbaric to try to control who is allowed the privileges of married life. I really enjoyed how Ettelbrick went beyond the idea of marriage making homosexuals equal to heterosexuals. Oppression does not stop just by making laws. Based on out many class discussions, we know that people are still oppressed by race, class, age, gender and everything else that is different from the white, Christian, middle-class, male. Marriage for all needs to be fought for and that would be an influential changing in our society for the better.
I agree with Whitney that the government should not be able to tell people who they can and cannot marry. It reminds me of when inter-racial marriages were illegal. Today, people are horrified that inter-racial marriages were illegal, and I think in fifty years people will be just as horrified that we did not allow for gay marriage. There is suppose to be a separation of church and state, so why are religious arguments considered when dealing with the issue of gay marriage? Any man and woman can marry each other. There are no requirements for marriage as long as you are opposite sexes. Places like Vegas make a business of drunk men and women just randomly deciding to get married, but a same-sex couple who have been with each other for years are not allowed to get married. That is not right.
ReplyDeleteI also strongly agree with Whitney and Molly. Governments should maintain control over laws and maintaing order in society, but it should not inhibit a persons happiness. It saddens me to think that our country, which over the years has attracted millions due to "freedom of speech" and the "american dream" can so blatantly take a stand against same sex marriage. Like Molly says, it not only inhibits peoples happiness, but it goes against one of America's founding principles to keep church and state beliefs separate. I feel that America is letting down all of its gay citizens who wish to marry a person of their sex. Maybe there should be an amendment saying "pursuit of happiness- except for those wishing to marry someone of the same sex".
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