Two years ago today, the Connecticut Supreme Court struck down the state ban on same-sex marriage, allowing couples to get married in the Constitution State. After this ruling, the most common question I got was, "What does this decision mean to you as a gay man?" And the basic answer is, "It means having a future."
Queer youth growing up in Connecticut now know they can fall in love when they're older and get married in this state. It helps legitimize their sexual orientation and it reduces the gap between them and their straight peers. It's not just about marriage, it's about civil rights. I may not choose to get married in the future, but the important thing is that I would have the right and the opportunity to get married, just like any male-female couple out there. Having the right to marry in this state means getting closer to equality and feeling less like a second-class citizen.
But it doesn't stop at state marriage. Unfortunately after the monumental win in Connecticut, there has also been more complacency in the queer community in this state. We have gay marriage here; that means we're all set, right? Wrong! We should not rest until there is full federal equality. What if I don't want to live in Connecticut all my life? Should I be constrained to the few states that do accept same-sex marriage? And plus, there are 1,138 federal rights that won't come with a state marriage license. I want those rights. Wouldn't you?
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