The Beneficial Side Effects Of Marriage Equality

Some in the GLBTQ civil rights movement are not in favor of putting so much effort into marriage equality. They would rather concentrate on GLBTQ employment protections, poverty, income inequality and a host of other pressing concerns. While marriage equality by itself does not make us equal, and does not solve all of society's ills, it does have much benefit for GLBTQ people. Probably the most important collateral benefit of marriage equality is that it serves to further de-stigmatize and humanize GLBTQ people, and undermine traditional forms of bigotry and animus directed at us. It's the second recent major building block, after the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" along the path to full equality. Further building blocks could include a favorable supreme court decision on nationwide marriage equality, an executive order from the president forbidding job discrimination against GLBTQ people by federal contractors, and the passage of ENDA in the Congress. In the meantime, the marriage equality train has left the station, and the haters have lost. As each new state comes on board with marriage equality, acceptance of GLBTQ people as equals in our society is furthered.