Why Shouldn’t my Parents be Allowed to Marry?

Point of View

The Press Democrat

11/18/08

By Sara Gardner-Heart

Santa Rosa High School

Junior, 16

  I paint my nails about every two weeks.  I go to school dances.  I have a best friend.  I am an Advanced Placement student.  I have two moms.  Every day I wear a purple wristband that says “Erase Hate.”  It reminds me of the important battle I and millions of others face every single day – the battle for equality.

  I have grown up in a family with two loving parents.  Both of them happen to be women.  I am clothed, fed, sent to school and, in every other respect, treated as most other teenagers are treated by their parents.

   When I was in kindergarten, none of my classmates cared that I had two moms.  Most of them even thought it was cool.  Back then, when we visited one another’s house, we learned that some children live with their grandparents, moms and dads, moms, dads, aunts, you name it.  That was before we were jaded with the politics of our parents and leaders.  Then it was all about fun and games, acceptance and friendship.

  Now I have to ask myself, why should every other kid in my class get to have two married parents, but not me?  What makes my situation so different than everyone else’s?  Do they love me less or differently than another teenager’s parents love their teen?  The answer to that is no.

  My moms would give their lives in a heartbeat to save mine.  They have given me everything I have ever needed and many things that I have wanted.  I am not some circus freak because I was raised by two women.  I do not have an aversion to men.  I am normal in many ways, yet I’d like to think of myself as unique.

  If you met me, could you look me in the eyes and tell me that my parents are disgusting and should never be allowed to marry?  Can you look at me and say that my Mommy marrying my Mama is the same as a person marrying a horse?

  Most people can’t imagine the hurt I feel when people say mean things about gay people.  I know I shouldn’t, but I feel as though I and my family are being personally attacked.  The sad thing is that this treatment comes from no choice of my moms or myself.

  Being gay is not a choice, and even if it were, I don’t believe it is wrong.  So what if someone loves another person who happens to be the same gender? 

  Is it really hurting others if a same-sex couple gets married?  No.  It is not.  It isn’t taking anything away from anyone or forcing anyone to do anything.  I will never understand how one human can believe that they have some superior lifestyle to another’s.

  In many ways, gays today are treated the same as African-Americans were treated until the 1960s.  It was dictated to them who they could and could not marry and which churches they could go to.

  After the passing of Proposition 8, I would naturally assume that I should be expecting a new law dictating which drinking fountains gays can drink out of and which one only straight people can drink from.