This morning I woke up to the news that the Interior Minister of Italy (Alfano) is telling mayors to stop recognizing gay marriage. I am upset, but, my reaction is not specifically towards the minister. It is towards my Italian friends who are represented by him. He can take these measures or say those things because, in Italy, these things are culturally accepted.
On a side note, I am still puzzled as to why these old-good-techniques of generating a debate over a minority group still work. There are bigger problems in Italy right now, economy to say one. That is a real problem directly influencing 98% of the Italian population. Denying the rights to 1-2% of the population it is not!
We are pointing the finger to Italy, but here is a picture that summaries the world-wide situation. There is a green trend in there that will continue until nothing is holding it back! It all will look inevitably green and it is only a matter of time.
So here is what I wrote to my friends and I am sharing this with you too, because it is important that we all accept it, there is no debate that is human and that ends up with denying somebody's else rights!
To my Italian friends,
At first I did not want to say anything, but, I am thinking about those wonderful "gay" friends of mine and, I want to say something, despite there are many of you who may disagree.
You know how there is no escape and good judgement prevails? We call it progress and we know from history that it does not happen overnight. Once we fought about black people's rights, then women's rights and now gay rights..still? Some people are gay, and, even if in some countries has not been recognized yet (say #Italy), allowing them to marry is the right thing to do...along with all the privileges that a classic family has.
The discussion as to why yes and why not has little relevance to me, this is about somebody's else live, not yours. As you are reading this, if in your head you are thinking "No, No, No". Hold in there, don't say anything. We can resume this discussion in 10-20 years from now, when denying people's rights will not have worked, or when one of your children tells you that they are gay and you will have passed that initial rage phase and you will just want them to be happy :)! I am sure history will not let me down and it will repeat itself.
Live and let live!
One of my gay-friends saw my message and added this:
I am glad to be a Spanish (gay marriage is allowed in Spain) and I am glad I have two families: the one I was born to and the one I chose.
By the way, if the comparison with interracial marriage in the US holds, same-sex marriage should have been approved 30 years ago. Sometimes law does not have to wait for public opinion to do the right thing.
I do not want to debate with you now, but, I would love to hear your story!
With Love Sara
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