We had a wedding here Saturday. Donna, who is a wedding officiant, performed the ceremony in our front garden. It was Donna’s first time as an officiant and our guests first marriage. They have been together for 30 years, but only recently have been able to legally marry.
Now they can make medical decisions, if necessary, for each other, they can file joint tax returns, visit each other in the hospital if they wish. Often hospitals will only allow a relative to visit a patient. Oh, and you can get ½ of your wife’s or husband’s Social Security until you are old enough to get your own. And after one partner dies, you are then eligible for your spouses benefits. See you took that for granted. We didn’t.
I know most of you don’t even realize the rights you have had all your lives, but we do. You would too, if they were denied you.
We have only had these rights for a month or so in Arkansas and it has been so much fun watching our friends of ours marrying after 20, 30, 40, often 50 years as partners.
It was well worth the fight. But ya know what. It was a needless fight. No one's rights should be denied. Ever. For any reason. This country had over 200 years of wrong. And because of the lingering hatred of some of our citizens, the prejudice is still alive and well. We have not run into it tho. You know I will let you know if we do.
