By Amber Vaughn
In the month of June, history was made for the LGBT community in the United States. On October 21, 2013, New Jersey became the 14th state to allow same-sex marriage.
According to NJ.com, Governor Christie’s decision to sign the gay rights bill marked the end of a decade-long push for same-sex marriage rights in a state that first tried out domestic partnerships in 2004 and civil unions in 2007. In addition, Senator Cory Booker officiated the first same-sex marriage at City Hall in Newark, NJ.
Professional athletes and actors/actresses are proudly coming out to the public as gay.
Music artist, Mackelmore, proudly supports same-sex marriage in his song “Same Love (feat. Mary Lambert).”
“I might not be the same, but that’s not important
No freedom ‘til we’re equal, damn right I support it.”
Jersey City, NJ native Queen Latifah was an officiant during a live marriage of 34 couples at the Grammy Awards in January.
After hearing what people thought of the good news online and on television, what do the students at NJCU feel about the legalization of same-sex marriage in the state of New Jersey?
Da-Shawn Simms, 25-year-old Early Childhood Education and Sociology major in Jersey City says, “Marriage is an institution created by God for a man and a woman to glorify God. However, we as people try to destroy what God has created, and it is a sin, but God loves us anyhow.”
However, Vania Durand, 29-year-old Early Childhood Education major in Union City feels that there’s no difference between heterosexual and homosexual marriages. “Although I was raised in a household with very strict Catholic values, I believe that same sex marriage should be legalized by the federal government in all 50 states because love is love. It shouldn’t be defined by gender, sex, or strangers’ sexual preference.”
I personally feel that everyone has the right to be with who they choose to spend the rest of their life with. It shouldn’t matter if the partner is the same sex.
People say, “The heart wants what the heart wants,” and it shouldn’t exclude homosexuals. Someone who is gay or a lesbian shouldn’t hide who they are going to marry because of the fear that they’ll be treated differently form how they were treated when they hid it from people. Everyone should feel happy without any restrictions attached.
Now that same-sex marriages are legalized, there will always be one love in New Jersey.