Gay Rights Win Big in 2012

Last Tuesday was probably the greatest day in American history thus far regarding gay rights.  For the first time, voters approved marriage equality.  Not once, not twice, but three times.  Voters stood up for equality in Maine, Maryland and Washington.  Also, in Minnesota, where an anti-gay measure was on the ballot to approve a constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman, voters again stood on the side of equality and rejected it.

But marriage equality wasn’t the only winner.  Many gay and lesbians were voted into pubic office as well.  Nationally, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin was voted in as the first LGBT Senator of the United States.  Five other legislators will be heading to congress including Mark Takano (CA), Sean Maloney (NY), David Cicilline (RI), Marc Pocan (WI), Jared Polis, (CO).  Krysten Sinema from Arizona’s racing is still pending.

Several state legislatures gained LGBT lawmakers this year including North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, New Mexico, Texas and Pennsylvania. Florida added two LGBT members.  Many local races were also won by LGBT candidates.

According to the Victory Fund, 121 of the 180 races they endorsed won.  I feel like we have the momentum now.  I know we’ll continue to have bumps in the road, and equality is far from assured, but we are getting closer and stronger by the minute.  A good indication is how much the anti day bigots are wringing their hands and predicting the fall of the country…. more on that later.

Marriage Equality Wins Big!

Marriage Equality Wins!

Wow!  Last Tuesday was morning I had a sense of dread.  I am usually an optimist, but the odds were against equality in this election.  With a weak economy, it was very possible Barack Obama, the first president to openly endorse marriage equality (and do more for gay rights than any other president) would not be elected.  In his place would be a man that not only opposes marriage equality, but also civil union, gay adoption and gays serving in the military.  There were three ballot measures asking voters to approve same sex marriage in their state, and a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a solely heterosexual union in Minnesota.  Marriage equality had never won a  popular vote, and the polls all showed an extremely close race in all 4 states.

My husband, the more pessimistic of the couple, assured me Obama would win and that at least one state would approve marriage equality.  He is from Canada, and he just shakes his head that, in his words, the most powerful and democratic country in the world continues to be so far behind in equality.  At least one more liberal state, like Maine has got to come through.

I went to bed Tuesday night having just heard Obama had won and Maine had approved marriage.  I was elated!  I figured Michael was right and we won our two victories November 7.  I was wrong!

I woke up Wednesday morning to hear that Maine and Maryland had both approved marriage equality and that Minnesota had rejected the amendment.  Washington was still undecided, but the trend seemed like we might win there as well.  Yesterday, the anti-gay groups that put the measure on the ballot conceded.  Washington has marriage equality as well!

This is a huge victory.  Polls have shown a growing acceptance of gays and lesbians’ relationships, especially over the past few years, but polls don’t make a difference if they don’t transfer over to actual votes – Apparently the tipping point was reached.

I am an optimist, but also a realist.  I know these huge victories will start a new momentum for marriage equality in this country, as well as gay rights in general.  But i also know the battle will continue.