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Thursday 28 March 2013

Info Post

Courtesy of Time Lightbox:

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases that will determine the fate of same-sex marriage in America. 

The court’s decision won’t come for months, but regardless of how the justices rule, David Von Drehle’s new cover story chronicles how, thanks to a massive shift in public opinion, gay marriage went from inconceivable to inevitable in less than two decades. 

To illustrate Von Drehle’s story, TIME invited same-sex couples in California and New York to share some intimate moments for photographer Peter Hapak. Two of these couples, Sarah Kate and Kristen Ellis-Henderson (married in 2011) and Russell Hart and Eric LaBonté (engaged since 2010), appear on our cover this week. (Newsstand editions will be divided between issues featuring the Ellis-Hendersons and those featuring Hart and LaBonté.) 

You know what? People are just going to have to get used to it.

They're queer and they're here!

(And do you know what? They always have been!)

By the way do you remember how I wrote in my piece covering Mark Begich coming out in favor of marriage equality that the really BIG news would be when our other Senator Lisa Murkowski also came out in support? Well it looks like that very thing might be on the horizon: 

"The term 'evolving view' has been perhaps overused, but I think it is an appropriate term for me to use," Murkowski said, according to the Chugiak-Eagle River Star. The senior Alaska senator has previously expressed opposition to gay nuptials. 

She added that her state may ultimately revisit the issue at some point and that she's evaluating her own position "very closely." In 1998, Alaska passed a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman. 

"It may be that Alaska will come to revisit its position on gay marriage, and as a policy maker I am certainly revieiwing that very closely," Murkowski said. 

Murkowski seemed to suggested that her two young sons have inspired her to moderate on same-sex marriage — emblematic of the views held by most young Americans on the issue. 

"I've got two young sons who, when I ask them and their friends how they feel about gay marriage, kinda give me one of those looks like, 'Gosh mom, why are you even asking that question?'" she said.

It's always the young people dragging their parents toward the future isn't it?

I think this leaves virtually no doubt that Murkowski will soon jump on board. Which then kind of makes me think we will soon see a real change in how other conservative Alaskan politicians deal with gay marriage, and gay rights, as well.

My guess is that soon they will simply have no choice but to support marriage equality, which could signal the end of Jerry Prevo's influence in Alaska politics and his ability to marginalize the LGBT community in Anchorage and beyond.

So though it is not my usual position I am really pulling for Murkowski to make the right decision here. As our VP would say, it is "a big fucking deal!"

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