Gay Marriage

I found these numbers in the May 23 issue of Newsweek. Although there isn't a source
cited for the numbers, I still like them and thought I would share them with you.

Its a "year in numbers" for gay marriage in Massachusetts.

May 17, 2004: Date same-sex couples began legally marrying.

6,142: Number of same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts from May 17, 2004
until February 2005.

2,170: Number of male couples.

3,972: Number of female couples.

30,872: Number of heterosexual marriages in Massachusetts during that time.

56%: Public support in Massachusetts for marriage equlaity in April 2005.

35%: Public support one year ago.

53%: Public support across the nation for a constitutional amendment defining
marriage as between a man and a woman.

14: Number of states that have amended their constitutions to ban gay marriage
since 2004.

84%: Percentage of Massachusetts voters who believe gay marriage has had a
positive or no impact on the quality of life in Massachusetts.

So there. I like those numbers and the obvious implications they make. Who knows,
if you saw this same type of article in a religious magazine you might see a
different spin. But I like to think that the good people of Massachusetts have
seen that same-sex marriage hasn't hurt their communities. In fact there may
be many ways in which their communities have benefited.

On that note I love to see two families
come together for a special time in the lives of a couple. What a beautiful
celebration! Maybe one day Jeffrey and I will be married. :)