Weekend's gay-rights march to demand full federal equality

I just finished typing "œthank you" more times than I have ever typed in one sitting. It almost brought me to tears to think of all of the support we've gotten in the last month to go to the National Equality March in Washington, D.C.

I am a poor college student. I'm still getting used to this classification after about five years of working at a newspaper in northwest Ohio. I left that (stable) job to come back to college and pursue a bachelor's degree in journalism. My ideal job would be to work in a communications department for a social justice organization. I want to fight for human rights.

That's exactly what I will be doing this weekend when I attend the National Equality March in D.C., when thousands (or maybe even millions) of people will march on Washington and demand full federal rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning people in the U.S.

Full equality. Now. Is that asking too much?

For me, a poor college student who had to take time off from my part-time job to attend the march, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I am traveling to D.C. for about $20, plus many hours of planning and fundraising. When else can a person travel to D.C. for such a small amount, and for such an important cause?

I don't think we're asking for too much. We're asking to be treated like human beings. (I've never considered myself anything else.)

We're asking to be given all of the rights guaranteed to heterosexual people in the Constitution of the United States.

Here's what we're fighting for:

"¢ A comprehensive effort to combat hate crimes committed against LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) people. Did you know there are no protections of hate crimes against LGBTQ people in many states? The U.S. Congress currently has a bill to consider, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. But that's not enough. We want federal protection from hate crimes committed against us because of our sexual and/or gender identities, and we want to be protected from housing discrimination.

If you haven't already read the stories about countless teens who have been attacked by their peers (and others) for being gay, you can find these news reports being covered by alternative media, such as publications geared toward the LGBTQ community. The mass media also has covered a few of these cases.

The Matthew Shepard Act needs to be passed immediately with wide support from Congress. (Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and killed in 1998 for being gay. The Laramie Project is a play that will be featured at Ohio University during National Coming Out Week. It details Shepard's story and calls for comprehensive protection against hate crimes based on sexual orientation.)

"¢ Marriage equality. We believe all people should be guaranteed the right to be loved, and for that love to be recognized by the couple's family and friends and by the federal government. According to a recent article in the New York Times, a gay person could spend upwards of $467,000 more in his or her lifetime than a heterosexual in health-care costs, family planning and more. Personally, I am fighting for all of those stories I have heard of gay couples who have been denied access to their loved one's hospital bed, and for those children who have been told by society that their parents' (loving, respectful) relationship is wrong, sinful and plain invalid.

"¢ We are asking for the immediate appeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and the military's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." A true act supporting marriage would not deny two consenting adults a loving marriage because of their sexual identities. Why does the federal government feel it is appropriate to regulate the bedroom of two consenting adults? Why do religious extremists feel they can push their ideology on others? This is not an issue that can be dealt with under a national umbrella. If the pastor of your church doesn't want to unite two specific people in marriage, let them find a church that will unite them (and complain to the higher-ups in the church). Or let them have the CIVIL right to marry. (Two heterosexual people can be united in marriage by the mayor of any city without a religious ceremony of any sort.) Marriage is not a right for Christians only. The Constitution protects freedom of religion, including ALL religions - not freedom to practice Christianity alone. There are many organized religions that support the marriage of people who love each other, regardless of their sexual identity.

The policy "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has resulted in the release of hundreds of military personnel, some of whom are advanced in their careers and assets to the United States. There is no proof that appealing these unconstitutional policies will result in mass chaos or "sinful" lifestyles, which is what the Religious Right likes to argue. And for those who are unaware, sexual identity was removed from the list of mental illnesses in the 1970s. The so-called "Gay Fix" therapy is detrimental to all of those people who are struggling with coming to terms with their sexual identities. But maybe if society did not stigmatize them by telling them they are not normal, they could come to terms with their lives in a much quicker fashion and accept themselves as the beautiful, loving people they are.

The last gay rights march in Washington took place in 1979. It is time for all allies, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and queers to make their voices heard and end the discrimination of people based on their sexual identity or gender identity.