November 4th brought some tremendously great news in the election of Obama, but also some horrible news over our defeats on equal marriage rights. The resulting fallout over Proposition 8 was mostly a lot of doom and gloom, so it's time for some hope to reign eternal.
Besides our undying ideals, which resonate across the chasms of history, what guides us forward in this fight is the sure certainty that we will prevail in the end. In many places around the world, however, we have already prevailed, and the momentum is only growing.
In 2000, there were no nations in the world that allowed same-sex marriages. Now there are six: the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Norway, and South Africa. Sweden is likely to become the seventh very shortly.
Sweden may allow homosexuals to wed in the Lutheran Church as of May 2009 if parliament adopts legislation due to be presented shortly, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said on Wednesday.
To fully understand the impact of this legislation, consider that:
If the new legislation is adopted, Sweden, already a pioneer in giving same-sex couples the right to adopt children, would become the first country in the world to allow gays to marry within a major church.
Sweden is currently led, unfortunately, by a center-right government, but there is such overwhelming support for same-sex marriage in Sweden that even this government is moving on the issue. If nothing gets done now, the Social Democrats, Sweden's natural governing party, have promised that they will legalize same-sex marriage when they assume power in the next general elections (and they will, by an overwhelming margin).
There were also no states in the United States that allowed same-sex marriage in 2000. Now there are two: Massachusetts and Connecticut. Yes, lest you all forgot, Connecticut starts same-sex marriages this week!
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Gay marriages in Connecticut can start Nov. 12. Superior Court Judge Jonathan Silbert on Monday scheduled a hearing on that date to enter the final judgment in the case that allows same-sex marriages in the state. The proceeding is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. Attorneys in the court case say that once the hearing ends, couples can pick up marriage license forms at town and city clerk's offices.
The New York Times had a great editorial about equality's winding path a few days ago. Achieving equality has never been easy, but all the great and historical struggles of the past few centuries yielded triumphs for liberal forces. There is absolutely no reason to suspect that any other verdict will be given in this fight. Do not lose hope over temporary defeats like Proposition 8; try to have a cool head in these trying times. Keep faith, have courage, march and protest, and the world will change.