CA Proposition 8: "The Mormon Proposition"

 

     Unfortunately, my battle against the Mormon-sponsored Proposition 8 only caused heartache, anger, and frustration within my family. This experience taught me a valuable yet unfortunate lesson. Religious authority over people’s lives is so powerful that a person's own family would rather side with their religious leaders while denying civil liberties to their own flesh and blood. None of my Mormon family supported me during this critical time. Their cars and even homes sported Proposition 8 propaganda. Close Mormon friends, with whom I grew up and admired as a child, placed Proposition 8 banners throughout the city where I lived. Neighbors and church communities united to destroy my most deeply held dream—a chance to marry one day. My own family became so involved that my father donated thousands of dollars to the cause and was chosen to lead the Proposition 8 advocacy group for his neighborhood. It cut to my heart to know that my own family would work so relentlessly to deny me the rights and privileges that they themselves selfishly enjoyed and taught me to value.

     Today, as of June 26, 2015, I’m happy to see that my dream to marry can finally be realized throughout the United States! My family is slowly coming around and becoming more accepting of LGBTQ relationships, but not marriage unfortunately. Surprisingly, I feel they are beginning to perceive LGBTQ relationship as not much different from their own; although, I might be somewhat overly optimistic at this point. It does seem they are slowly learning and adjusting. For me, it would have been very easy to abandon my family because of their anti-gay sentiments; I am glad that I didn’t. I feel it is my responsibility to help them understand who I am. They need to know that my desires are not very different from their own, despite our differences. I have always believed that good people will recognize goodness in others, when given the opportunity. I hope that America's drive for equality will always surpass hatred and ignorance in this amazing country that I call my home.