Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Thanks to Boylan for acknowledging love

I have picked up The Citizen so many times in the last four years that I’ve lived in Fayetteville and have flipped to anything Michael Boylan has written because he writes with amazement and amusement about all the things near and dear to a Fayette County citizen’s heart. Like Lewis Grizzard and Celestine Sibley back in the 1970s and ’80s, he struck a chord with me. I’ve laughed and identified with many of Mike’s writings. One of my favorites is Mike’s article about YMCA Summer camp.

This week as I thumbed through all the anti-gay editorials I came to Michael Boylan’s byline and for once I hesitated to read his article on gay marriage because I’ve always enjoyed his columns and I was afraid I’d read more of the same level of nonacceptance I’d seen in all the other editorials. I was brave: I decided to read on anyway.

Thank you, Michael and Sabine, for toasting and acknowledging a gay couple’s commitment to each other. Thanks for pointing out the similarities, not the differences.

Thanks for being brave, Michael, in the face of community criticism. Thanks for being braver than me.

I’m the other half of a gay couple. I’m the partner not biologically connected to the kids I’m helping to raise here. I’m the unrecognized spouse that can’t qualify for benefits under my partner’s health, auto or home insurance because I’m the same sex.

Hi, folks! I don’t care if it’s called marriage or civil union. I just want to be able to commit to my partner the same as you can commit to yours and I want that commitment recognized and respected by my community. Is that really so different?

Name withheld