Same-sex marriage decision admirable

By Our Opinion

The California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is constitutional last Thursday.

In November, the decision to amend the state constitution to ban these marriages in California will be put on the ballot for voters to decide.

This is a historic point for California and the country in civil rights. Sexual orientation does not define a person's humanity, just as race and gender do not, and should not be used as a reason for discrimination.

Just as the stigma around interracial marriage has faded, so will the stigma around same-sex marriage 50 years from now. Just as it seems ridiculous to most of the country to restrict someone's rights because of their race, it will soon be recognized as absurd to restrict someone's rights because of their sexual orientation. Just as we are born with a unique physical appearance, we are born with our sexual orientation.

Many companies and institutions already have policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Restricting the right of same-sex couples to build the family of their choice and not allowing them the benefits they need to best support that family is discrimination at the governmental level.

Critics of same-sex marriage argue that people will abuse the privileges and tax benefits of marriage by making agreements with friends. But what is stopping a man and a woman from doing that now? No one is verifying the validity of traditional marriages, so why should same-sex marriages be questioned?

Same-sex couples can adopt and many organizations, including Santa Clara, extend health benefits to domestic partners. These families love and care for each other just like anyone else.

Single-parent families, divorced-parent families and grandparent-headed families are all nontraditional, yet functional families. People argue that having two parents of the same sex robs the child of a strong figure of the opposite sex, but the parents' sex is not what matters in a child's upbringing. It is the love and support that is found in any dedicated parent.

You or someone you know may someday find the love of their life, who happens to be of the same sex, and wish to marry them. Give them the respect and dignity that everyone deserves. Californians now have the chance to take the lead and show the country that discriminating against same-sex couples who want to marry is wrong.