By now, every Arizonan is aware of the new legal status of same-sex marriage in our state. Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed all appeals on state dissolution of gay marriage bans. This paved the way for U.S. District Judge John Sedwick to strike down Arizona’s ban on same-sex marriage. Thus, as of Oct. 17, same-sex marriage is legal in the Grand Canyon State.
It’s a monumental victory, but marriage equality is not the most pressing issue in the LGBTQ community, despite being the most visible and publicized. There exists something of a hierarchy of needs within the LGBTQ community, and the ability to marry a partner is not necessarily the most important foundation.
We aren’t suggesting that you shouldn’t celebrate — go nuts if you’d like! But more than anything, we’d like to see this positive energy channeled into solving some of the more immediate problems facing the LGBTQ community, the more basic needs.
For example, the LGBTQ community suffers from an extremely high rate of violence, most pronounced among trans* individuals and gay men, according to a report by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.
In addition, LGBTQ youth are at a substantially elevated risk of suicide, bullying and depression. From a young age, homosexual and bisexual individuals are placed in an environment that leaves them feeling isolated and unsafe. Consider this: Eight out of 10 middle and high school LGB students reported verbal harassment on account of their sexual orientation, according to a 2009 survey cited by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
Another understated problem is the prevalence of poverty among homosexual couples, especially those of color. According to the Williams Institute, a UCLA School of Law think-tank, “African American same-sex couples have poverty rates more than twice the rate of different-sex married African Americans.” That is just one of many instances of increased poverty rates for members of the LGBTQ community. Plenty of people throughout the community face financial struggles that render them unable to even think about marriage at this point in their lives.
These issues are grave, but with this ruling for marriage equality, young Arizonans may be optimistic for the future of this state. However, the prohibition of same-sex marriage was overturned by a court, not the citizens of Arizona; it doesn’t indicate any progression in Arizona’s mindset. In fact, our own governor, Jan Brewer, was so deeply upset that she released a statement citing her disappointment that “unelected federal judges can dictate the laws of individual states.”
Despite her anger, the ultimate decision to legalize same-sex marriage eventually fell exactly where it was supposed to: the judiciary. If we are a society that respects by the institution of marriage, then we are obliged to extend that to willing partners regardless of their sexual orientation. It’s not something we should have been voting on in the first place.
Thankfully, same-sex marriage can now stand unprotected from violation even within a state with such vocal opposition. However, these other issues we’ve brought up are still hugely important and deeply dependent upon how much the citizens of Arizona advocate for LGBTQ causes.
Things aren’t all perfect now, and to think so is a dangerous assumption. The LGBTQ community has always faced problems beyond their prohibition of being married; let’s work on those now.
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