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Rally backs same-sex marriage

Supporters seek benefits in Ohio

BY KATE YORK
The Marietta Times
kyork@mariettatimes.com

Marietta College students and community members took to the streets Saturday, marching through downtown Marietta to show their support for same-sex marriages.

About 30 people took part in a rally that began Saturday afternoon in front of the Gilman Student Center at Marietta College and ended with a march through town. Students played drums as they walked and carried signs reading "Love Does Not Discriminate" and "Same Sex, Same Rights."

The rally was organized by the Rainbow Alliance and the Coalition for Social Justice and Change, both Marietta College organizations.

"Our direct goal is to petition the city of Marietta and state of Ohio to give employees same-sex partner benefits," said Liz Schulz, 21, Marietta College senior and chairwoman of the Rainbow Alliance. "We also just want to be seen on campus and say 'we're here and we support gay marriage.'"

During the rally, participants spoke out against a proposed federal amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning same-sex marriage and Ohio's Defense of Marriage Act.

Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signed a law in January making Ohio the 38th state to ban recognition of gay marriages. Ohio is also the second state to deny some benefits to unmarried employees' partners.

"I don't think the government should be able to dictate who you love," said Schulz. "You can't dictate who you love, so I don't know why the government thinks it can."

As the march began, the participants got both support and disapproval from those driving or walking by.

"I just don't think it's right," said Evelyn Peters, 62, of Marietta, walking downtown during the march. "Marriage is supposed to be about a man and a woman, who can have children. Two women or men together is not marriage."

Brandon Sims, a member of both the Rainbow Alliance and Coalition for Social Justice and Change, said he believes gay marriage may become more and more accepted in his lifetime.

"We believe that marriage is an institution of love," said Sims. "While recognizing its long tradition, we also note that marriage has been adapted to encompass more people in an effort for equality. Allowing interracial couples to marry, and allowing women equal property rights in marriage, were not special privileges. Neither would allowing same-sex marriage create a special privilege."

Those in the Coalition for Social Justice and Change have been in contact with Marietta officials to express support for including sexual orientation in the city's anti-discrimination clause and including domestic partner benefits for city employees.

Schulz, from Maine, said she has seen the acceptance of homosexuals increase during her four years at Marietta College and hopes for greater acceptance in the years to come.

Same-sex marriage is not a detriment to the sanctity of marriage as many argue, Schulz said.

"That's a duplicitous argument to say that the sanctity of marriage is being destroyed by gay couples when many straight couples are destroying the sanctity of marriage through divorce as well," she said. "It you want to protect the sanctity of marriage, then it's divorce that should be banned, not gay marriage."