Finally! The odious marriage equality ban has been struck down, almost a full 10 years after its passage in Oregon during 2004. The ban was a part of the Bush Strategy to drive out red voters during his 04 reelection bid against John Kerry.
I consider this one of the worst marks left by the Bush Administration on the state of Oregon itself. The law has had a big and real effect on my family, because of my parents. My parents are indeed lesbian, and have been living as a couple for the better part of 20 years. If anyone deserves to be married in this world, it is my two parents. After all of the bigotry, hatred, internal strife, invalidation, and bullying they have received (and they would be the last ones to admit all the hardship) they DESERVE to be married. Their relationship, and our family, has been tested far more often than any other family unit with a straight couple as its core. Out of anyone who deserves this, it is them.
I really feel like Judge McShane wrote this ruling for my family, and for the families of all GLBT couples, who have had to endure hatred and bigotry for the better part of 20 years during this struggle.
And yet, I still find myself arguing against the bigotry with all my might, even though my parent's union will now be fully recognized by the state. I am completely dismayed that this bigotry still exists somewhere in this wonderful state, but one look at Ron Wyden's post on FB says that it is still here, in deep blue Oregon, to this day. Nothing new to me and my family, of course, we have been facing this shit since day one of our union of two families into one; at least now I have the backing of law that says that my family is just as valid as yours in the eyes of the state. It seems such a arbitrary distinction, but to me, it is the world. It means that after the dust settles, we are a family. Not just some people who happened to have pooled their resources and emotional energy to support and love one another unconditionally, but a real family.
It means validation for us. And that, in and of itself, is incredibly important.