AS AMERICANS, we often pride ourselves on our forward thinking and initiative. When we wanted independence from England, we fought for independence. When we wanted to put a man on the moon before the Soviets, we put a man on the moon. And when we wanted equal voting rights, we fought for equal voting rights.
Living in one of the most powerful nations has its perks. We don't wake up in the morning to the sound of bombs outside our windows, and most of us do not have to worry about where we could find our next meal.
One battle, however, still needs to be fought in this country, and that is the battle for gay rights. Equality is something this country has battled since its inception, whether between blacks and whites, men and women or Christians and Jews. We all know that gay marriage is illegal in almost every state (Massachusetts being the only exception), but we do not often think about where gay marriage actually is legal. The U.S. has a surprisingly narrow view on gay rights compared to the rest of the world, and if countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil can overcome years of a "machismo" culture, then the U.S. can and should follow suit.
Since 2001, countries like Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain have given gays and lesbians the same legal rights as heterosexual counterparts. These Western countries however, are known for their open-minded views and liberal laws. Other places, like South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico are not known for their liberal-mindedness at all. It is surprising, then, to learn that these very same places are starting to legalize civil unions for gays and lesbians and giving them equal legal rights and protection. South Africa legalized civil unions in November 2006, making it the first country in the developing world to do so. In 2002, the Buenos Aires City Council approved Latin America's first-ever gay-civil-union ordinance, and now gay marriage is allowed in four states in Brazil.
One of the main reasons for the change in attitude in countries like these is the Western model of tolerance. Quoted in Newsweek, Mexican gay-rights activist Alejandro Brito said, "I think it helped that Spain and other parts of Europe had passed similar laws. These types of laws are becoming more about human rights than gay issues."
It is ironic, then, to look at ourselves. America has long been perceived as progressive, giving rights to women and minorities of all kinds before other Western nations. And yet, we still seem stuck on issues involving sex, sexual preference and reproductive rights.
That one little word, sex, can raise hell like no other. Just mentioning it makes people flustered, and discussing it can lead into a full-blown debate on morality. Yet, it is time to take a step back from morality and look at sex and sexual preference from a legal perspective.
Arguably, one of the main reasons gay marriage remains illegal is because of moral and religious beliefs. But, regardless of whether one believes homosexuality is a sin, it is not right to deny a person the same legal rights of another simply because of a morality judgment.
Although many things are illegal based on morality judgments, such as public nudity, bestiality, and prostitution, the difference between these actions and banning gay marriage involves the denial of rights to some and not to others.By not legalizing gay marriage, we are letting the majority deny the very same rights they enjoy to the minority. There are many things that are considered "wrong," yet are not involved in the legal system. Premarital sex is considered a sin, and yet one cannot be denied the right to that. Adultery is considered a sin, and yet one does not go to jail for that. Not recognizing the Sabbath is a sin, and yet one cannot be stopped for running errands on Sunday.
If we continue to deny rights to an entire group of people based on a morality judgment, then we will quickly fall behind the rest of the world in terms of our quality of life and the happiness of our people. As much as gay tolerance is spreading, it still remains lost in the Middle East because of their strict religious beliefs. Many people in this country consider the Middle East to be far too religious and conservative. And yet, by denying rights to gays in America, we seem to be similar, in at least one aspect, with the very same region we so often consider close-minded.
In the end, it is important to remember that legalizing gay marriage and protecting gay rights does not harm anyone. If you do not believe in gay marriage, then you simply do not have to get one., This country was founded on the principal of freedom, and that freedom should not be compromised because of the beliefs of one group of people. Of course we need morals in this country, and some of the Ten Commandments are valuable laws. But I don't see "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife" or "Thou shalt not make for thyself an idol" becoming laws anytime soon. And that just shows why we cannot make laws based purely on a personal value system.
Lindsay Huggins's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at lhuggins@cavalierdaily.com.
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