During the Republican National Convention on August 28, 2012 – Ann Romney spoke for just over 20 minutes. She spoke briefly about how great it is to be an American but mostly, she spoke of love. She spoke of how much love she and Mitt have for each other and said that some people thought they had a storybook marriage, here is her quote; “…story book marriage, not at all. What Mitt and I have is a real marriage”. I know that many American’s do not think that same-sex couples being married would not be legitimate – but wouldn’t a same-sex marriage be as ‘real’ (it may not be legal right now) as a heterosexual marriage? I’m not American and I am completely outraged at such a statement. Is her marriage more legitimate and real than many same-sex couples who have been given that right to marry ?
I have been with my partner in a loving, caring, respectful and committed relationship for over 18 years. We never really thought about marriage because it was not legal in Ontario, Canada until 2003 (see statistics below). When it did become legal – we celebrated by ensuring our union was just as important as our peers and married each other. I have shared so much with Jason. We have gone through many, many good times but we also had moments that really tested our relationship – we argued, we cried, we laughed. We grew together in our relationship – we learned to communicate with each other thereby creating a much stronger relationship and bond. We have and still go through what most married couples go through – we are no different than our heterosexual peers. Why must Ann Romney point out that she is in a ‘real’ marriage?
Republicans (and Conservatives in Canada), have got to stop throwing the importance of family and family values in our faces – do we not understand the importance of family as gay people? I don’t understand what makes them think that their lives are so much more legitimate than ours. Is it their religious beliefs? Maybe, but just because I don’t go to their church or belong to their congregation doesn’t make them morally superior than myself or my spouse.
If Ann Romney wants to talk about the love that she and her husband Mitt have for their fellow American ‘brothers and sisters’ – than why don’t they start by recognizing that love and real marriage should not be exclusive to many same-sex couples. Most of us are as committed and in love as they are? Don’t give me the religious argument either – I don’t buy it and besides, I believe and think that the religious beliefs of our elected officials should not affect any choices they make in their political careers. Religion has no place in politics and politics have no place in religion!
My message to Ann Romney – There is no such thing as ‘real’ marriage because all marriage is real and my marriage to my wonderful spouse is just as legitimate as yours is to Mitt.
GAY MARRIAGE IN CANADA
Same-sex marriage became legal in all of Canada on July 20, 2005, when the “Civil Marriage Act” took effect. Before that, several provinces began legalizing same-sex marriage on their own, the first being Ontario on June 10, 2003.
Other provinces legalized gay marriage on the following dates:
British Columbia, 8 July 2003
Quebec, 16 March 2004
Yukon Territories, 16 July 2004
Manitoba, 16 September 2004
Nova Scotia, 24 September 2004
Saskatchewan, 5 November 2004
Newfoundland and Labrador, 21 December 2004
New Brunswick 23 June 2005
In 2003, the Ontario Court of Appeals upheld a lower court verdict making same-sex marriage legal in Ontario. Ontario was the first jurisdiction in North America to have same-sex marriage legalized, leading the way for the eventual passage of the federal Civil Marriage Act (defining marriage as a “union of two persons”) in 2005 making Canada the fourth country in the world and the first in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!
Together we can make the world a more positive one!
COALITION OF POSITIVE ENERGY 