I'm married.

[helderheid]

I've been married just over 9 years to the most wonderful man. We have two healthy, happy, incredibly smart and well adjusted children. We live in a nice home and my husband's work has excellent health insurance coverage for all of us. Because of this, we didn't think twice about starting our family. It saved us when our young daughter had meningitis and we had to take her to the hospital. God forbid if something were to happen to us, we could visit each other in the hospital. We could make decisions for one another, even if the worst were to occur. We are free to choose what happens from here on out, all the way to the end.

If we still lived in the Netherlands, this would be true if we were two men or two women. That's where my husband is from. Talk about separation of Church and State.

We now live in the States.

I'm fighting for you, my GLBT family.

Love,

helderheid

[BlooInBloo]

1. I'm not, but I at least CAN marry the person I love...

Time to work on getting gay folks the same right.

[AlCzervik]

2. 17 years here as well and we both strongly support equal rights for our GLBT brothers and sisters.

[helderheid]

5. Thanks

:hug:

[hfojvt]

3. That just made me think of Tim Robbins line in 'Nothing to Lose' n/t

[helderheid]

4. I've never seen it - what's the line?

[hfojvt]

28. that's the line

"I'm married"

It's a funny movie so I don't want to give anything away. The main character, Tim Robbins, catches his wife having an affair. Immediately after that, he is car-jacked, and he tells the car-jacker "boy, did you pick the wrong guy on the wrong day" and tromps down on the gas. (as in, my wife has betrayed me so I have "nothing to lose" and don't care if I kill us both)

[helderheid]

29. I need to rent that

[RedLetterRev]

6. Dank u viel!

Every friend, every ally is precious and cherished. It has been a long, dark time, but I feel the world changing. People are speaking up and taking their dignity back.

It feels good.

Groet!

[helderheid]

10. Groetjes terug!

:hi:

[robinlynne]

7. happy to join in this post and say me too! 100%

[sazemisery]

8. Married 32 years. Wish all my GLBT friends could...

be accorded the rights due all human beings. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Not much to ask of our government is it?

Happiness for all, that's what I say!

[readmoreoften]

9. Thank you.

:hug:

[helderheid]

11. You're welcome. I wish I could edit to add that I'm not "civil unioned". I think all should be and

leave marriage to the churches (the way it is in Holland) but that's not how it is here. If marriage is what the government recognizes and as long as the government is in the marriage business, MARRIAGE is a CIVIL RIGHT.

[readmoreoften]

16. Do people say that they are civilly-unioned in Holland? Or do they say they're spouses?

Do they use the Dutch term for husband and wife? Or do they refer to themselves as "partners". My parents were married in a civil ceremony with no religious theme and are just as married as the Catholic neighbors next door. They call one another spouses. Religion does not own the concept of marriage because they do a voodoo dance on top of the legal pact. People in China and the former Soviet Union get and got married. I never heard of any non-religious society doing away with marriage or even discussing that marriage should be transformed now that "religion is gone."

Marriage is a cultural phenomenon, not a religious one. The only right churches have in America is to stay out of politics, to not be shut down for their ideas, and to not pay taxes. They don't get to own the idea of marriage or tell me and other citizens what to do.

I say get the Government out of the Church business and leave marriage as the same secular institution it's always been.

[helderheid]

25. SPOT ON.

:yourock:

[Lugnut]

12. Married 42 years here.

I hope to live to see the day that every other loving couple has the opportunity to do the same.

[helderheid]

13. Now.

[helderheid]

14. I'm married. I'm kicking. I have the hiccups.

[helderheid]

15. goddam these hiccups

[XemaSab]

17. Amen

n/t

[sutz12]

18. Not me.

Tried it. Twice. Didn't work. I've decided that I'm not very good at it.

Why should I deny those pleasures(?) to other deserving folks? :)

Seriously, the whole gay bashing movement is simply mean-spirited religious bigotry IMO.

I really hope the backlash from this latest travesty really makes some people on the far right pay. A lot. My fondest wish would be to see a megachurch collaspse financially. More than one, actually.

Anybody who fears for their own marriage based on what two strangers do 1,000 miles away have more serious problems than they can (apparently) imagine. Sorry, but denying other people basic human rights is no way to bolster one's self esteem.

[Maat]

19. Been with the same guy for about 31 years now (married for 24-1/2) ...

can't understand why we should protect full equality and marriage rights for everyone. It's a no-brainer to me.

I stand in solidarity with my GLBT friends, and have resolved to keep up the fight for equality, and equal protection under the law, until we get there.

In Solidarity and Friendship,

[helderheid]

27. Congratulations!!!

[magellan]

20. Me too

My husband and I were married in a civil ceremony in the UK 13 years ago. No church frou-frou, that wasn't for us. We're still considered legally married. Why this consideration isn't extended to our GLBT brothers and sisters I'll never understand.

My best friend who lives in CA has just met the woman she wants to marry. Unless things change they'll have to settle for a commitment ceremony. She's still excited about it and I'm happy for her (she insists I get the title of "Maid of Honor", even though it isn't a wedding and anyway the right title for me would be "Matron of Honor"!), but I can tell from her voice that as things stand it isn't go to be as she dreamed, and that hurts my heart for her.

Honestly, I'm sick of the religious cowards who want to force us all to live by their standards. They can quote the bible all day long; God is just a handy cover for their ignorant fear, and their rapturous smiles as they inflict suffering on their fellow countrymen are like neon signs flashing above their heads that read "Addicted to hate!"

[Starry Messenger]

21. k & r.

[Hekate]

22. Married 21 years, been together about 27 years. Prop H8 is on the wrong side of history...

... and will not endure. We will not let it.

I like picking out different Obama buttons to wear even now that the campaign is over. Today's was the Rainbow one, and all things considered I think it will get worn a lot from now on.

Hekate

[helderheid]

24. I need that rainbow one. Yes Prop 8 is on the WRONG side of history.

[Bertha Venation]

23. damn... thank you

:hug:

[helderheid]

26. You're welcome. We're in this together.

:hug:

[ArrowMan]

30. Good for you Helderheid. It is good that they have you working for their cause because

by themselves, they are lousy at making their case. The Netherlands sound like a place with good people.

[ProfessorGAC]

31. Nice Post!

We're going on 29 years. I share your sentiments.
The Professor

[newtothegame]

32. Thanks for posting n/t

[AntiFascist]

33. K&R, could Prop 8 destroy "marriage" rights?

The CA Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a Fundamental Right. Now that marriage is (at least temporarilly) redefined in CA, what if they have to change this to "Civil Unions" are a Fundamental Right for everyone? During the marriage ruling proceedings, it was argued that the court had two options: extend marriage rights to everyone, or remove marriage rights for all. It could be argued that they now have no choice but to go with the second option.

Thank you helderheid for your support!

[noiretextatique]

34. thanks, hederheid

i never thought much about marriage until recently. since i live in california, hopefully prop H8 will be rejected by the court. :hug:

[LaurenG]

35. K & R nt

[Duncan Grant]

36. kick

Some posts are a source of restoration and peace. Yours is one of them.

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. :D

:kick: