Melissa Giugno – Special to the Southern News –
According to the Wall Street Journal, a same sex marriage bill passed in the United Kingdom, with 400-175 votes. The country is following in the footsteps of many other countries, such as Argentina, Canada, the Netherlands and Spain, that have already done so. The Wall Street Journal goes on to say that the UK’s actions are causing a ripple affect across the globe, inspiring many other countries in Europe, France and the United States to do the same, and causing a conversation among the students at Southern Connecticut State University.
Sophomore social work major Skye Battista said she supports the UK’s decision and that for America to be a better place, there is only one thing that needs to be done: to follow in the UK’s footsteps.
“I think that everyone should have equal rights, I am all for it,” said Battista. “It shouldn’t even be an issue; I think people should just be able to love who they want to love. I think all the states should legalize it.”
Battista goes on to say that she is impressed by a whole country legalizing same-sex marriage, not just state by state, like in the United States. Also saying it makes America look bad, but she thinks same-sex marriage becoming legal in our country is inevitable.
“I think it looks bad on us,” said Battista. “A couple states already legalized it, why shouldn’t we just make everything. It is eventually going to be that way, so I think it should just happen faster.”
Unlike Battista, sophomore english secondary education major, Gina Pannazzo said she thinks the UK legalizing same-sex marriage will have little effect in our country, but also supports the idea that same-sex marriage should be something legalized globally.
“I feel like every country should legalize gay rights,” said Pannazzo. “It looks bad for us, but they are doing the right thing.”
Like Battista, Mary Weiss is also pleased by the UK’s recent movement, saying that these issues affect her personally. Senior biology major, Weiss says same-sex marriage is something she supports because lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual issues are something she has always been familiar with.
“I am totally for it,” Said Weiss. “I’ve grown up as a dancer and in theater my whole life so I have been surrounded by people who are gay, lesbian, or transsexual; just having people like that in my life, they’ve been a great support group for me; they should be able to be just as happy as we are. They are people too and if they are in love why can’t they get married like straight people would?”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron supports the idea of same-sex unions. Like Cameron, Barack Obama is the first American president to announce his support for same-sex marriage. Weiss recognizes the variety of people in our country, so she understands why reaching the president’s ideal for same-sex marriage to be legal, may be a lengthy process.
“We are a melting pot, so I think it is going to take a little bit longer for everyone to come towards what I believe,” said Weiss. “We are all from different places; we all have different beliefs, so it’s just going to take a little bit more time. If we do it state by state, it will happen eventually.”
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