This past weekend, I had the opportunity to witness history being made. Not only did I attend a same-sex marriage between one of my best friend’s wonderful sister and her wonderful new bride, I attended the first same-sex marriage ever to occur on the campus of Ripon College. I might have cried during the whole ceremony, but not just because it was such a lovely ceremony, not just because I was so happy for the family, and not just because I was watching history in the making. Sure, those were definitely factors, but ultimately I cried because I was witnessing two people who are so in love be able to get married when that right had before been denied to them. Honestly, it is truly mind-boggling to me how anyone could want to deny two people in love the right to such a thing. I have always been a supporter for LGBT rights, including the right to marriage, but attending this wedding really showed me why I believe what I do.
We all know what happened on June 26, 2015: the historic decision to legalize same-sex marriage across the United States, and we’ve all seen the hashtag, #LoveWins. Although I identify as heterosexual, that day meant so much to me because I knew how it would positively change the lives of so many people who have had their basic rights denied for so long. Going to this wedding this weekend was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done; I got to see firsthand how #LoveWins changed the lives of two specific people.
When the bride and bride saw each other for the first time on the day of the wedding this past weekend, I had never seen such happiness and love radiating from two people. It was at this point where I shed my first round of tears. Once again, I cried because it was beautiful, but also again because I just kept thinking to myself, ‘how could anyone want to deny certain people this kind of real love? Why can’t love just be love, and that be a good enough reason as any for people to have equal marriage rights?’
“Love is love.” That to me is one of the most important statements in this ongoing debate. Who are we to say that one person’s idea of love, perhaps between a man and a woman, is the right kind of love? Isn’t love between a man and man, or a woman and a woman equally as “right”? Just because you may not understand someone else’s idea of love doesn’t make it okay to deny them their basic rights.
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is quoted in the same-sex marriage case saying, “The nature of marriage is that, through its enduring bond, two persons together can find other freedoms, such as expression, intimacy, and spirituality. This is true for all persons, whatever their sexual orientation…there is dignity in the bond between two men or two women who seek to marry and in their autonomy to make such profound choices.” I believe this is beautifully stated, and really emphasizes what I saw at the wedding.
I will admit that I was that person who went to a concert the day of the Supreme Court ruling in June with “#LoveWins” written all over my body in different colored Sharpies, amongst a crowd of people who probably were not as happy as I was about the ruling, to say the least. So naturally, having the opportunity to attend a marriage of two people of the same-sex made me overjoyed. And it did not disappoint. Having attended weddings with both opposite and same sex partners, I can honestly say that both were beautiful in their own ways and both equally as special. But there was something even more special about this same-sex marriage. Seeing two people in love finally be able to be recognized in marriage was one of the most liberating feelings, even though I have never been denied the opportunity to get married to whom I love. The ceremony was beautiful, and I loved how accepting everyone at the wedding was. I wish nothing but happiness and good wishes on the two brides, and I am forever grateful to be apart of their special day. It was high time we stop denying certain people the right to marry, and I really hope that times are changing on this.
