Minnesota pride

Freedom to Marry Bridge

Today, my state’s Senate will debate and vote on a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in Minnesota. Passage is assured. Since the identical bill has already passed the House, the governor has scheduled a signing ceremony for later in the week. Done fucking deal.

I think a lot of things about this. Just last year, the forces of exclusion and hate pressured the old legislature to place a constitutional amendment on our ballot that would ban marriage equity. Rights would explicitly have been taken away from a targeted portion of the population in the state’s constitution. Even though there was already a DOMA-like bill on the books. It failed by a razor-thin margin. Today, that old legislature has been routed and the new one  has performed a politically dangerous act: They have done the right thing.

I was proud of my state when the amendment failed. I am more proud of my state today. When the bill passes, I will cry. I’m already tearing up. Fuck it. I’m crying.

Hold on a sec…

All I can think about is the thousands of gay kids in Minnesota who haven’t come out to their families (or maybe even themselves) for fear of being told there’s something wrong with them. For fear of persecution. For fear of being different. By the end of the week, they will see that we, the people, want them to know they are no different than anyone else. They will love whoever the fuck they want and we will love them right back, no matter what. There’s not a damn thing wrong with them. Not a thing.

Such a good day.