Social media sites have become such a great outlet for online users to take a stand against issues in unison and for individuals to make their voices heard. I am so very proud of the overwhelming support that has been demonstrated this past week with the popularity of the Human Rights Campaign (which took very little time to go viral). The now iconic red and pink equality symbol represents a national demand for equal marriage rights.
I present this issue simply as such: love is a feeling, it is far from a definition. No one person or group can claim love or keep it as their own. Love has been given to us to share, if we are lucky enough to get to experience it. If any one amongst us has found love, who is anyone else to try to take it way? Or minimize, belittle, or try to refrain it?
I present this issue simply as such: love is a feeling, it is far from a definition. No one person or group can claim love or keep it as their own. Love has been given to us to share, if we are lucky enough to get to experience it. If any one amongst us has found love, who is anyone else to try to take it way? Or minimize, belittle, or try to refrain it?
We are all people, we are all sisters and brothers, and we are all sinners. When judged, we should be judged as a whole humanity. We should not be judged by the groups we have broken ourselves down into based on our own comfort levels and preference of commonality.
In light of this week's Prop 8 consideration, here are five inspiring marriage equality quotes by celebrities as reported by the Huffington Post:
- "It is each American's constitutional right to marry the person they love, no matter what state they inhabit. No state should decide who can marry and who cannot. Thanks to the tireless work of so many, someday soon this discrimination will end and every American will be able to enjoy their equal right to marriage." -Brad Pitt
- "I am who I am because of the people who influenced me growing up, and many of them were gay. No one has any right to tell anyone what makes a family." -Drew Barrymore
- "I think it's a very basic human-rights issue. Everybody has the right to marry the person they love and be represented as a couple and family. ... It's something that people will look back on in years to come and say, 'I can't believe it took so long for us to recognize this.' It'll be like segregation and giving women the right to vote." -Julianne Moore
- "I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone." -Sean Penn
- "...We're people and we're different, all of us. And we should be using our differences to bring ourselves closer together. You know? Not be afraid of something that we don't know. ... It's unfortunate that things take a while to progress like this, but it was a great, great victory for equality. I'm proud New York has the balls to stand up for what's right." -Justin Timberlake [on New York legalizing gay marriage]
Like some of these celebrities (and so many others nationally and world-wide), I believe that this effort is one that will be surprising, in retrospect, to future generations. As expressed, this simply boils down to human rights, the same as any other human rights movement we have ever faced together as a country. Let's take another step toward total equality.
I would ask those of you who might be struggling with this change to please consider this: It is argued that homosexuality is a perversion and a sin. I do not (at this time, but will address in future posts) want to get into the many ways that heterosexuals can also be perverted/sinful in their acts, but we are certainly not talking about an exclusively sexual relationship in this matter. The "sin" at question here is two people loving each other so truly and so wholly that they want to commit the rest of their lives to each other. The "sin" is two people who love each other and have committed to each other, and who are asking the same exact rights as their peers enjoy (peers who have made the very same promises to their partners).
To all of the many other celebrities and others who have supported this much needed cause, I applaud you! Let's please continue to use our voices to create change in this beautiful world we share with one another.
Here are some other great resources to check out:
Lastly, click here to find out what the HRC is doing to fight for equality in your state/community and/or to find ways you can participate.
In living cruelty free,
~Violetta
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