Love Wins
(photo by Robert Couse-Baker taken from Flickr.com)
There has been a lot of hype with the recent decision of the Supreme Court of the United States to legalize gay marriage. About 26 million Facebook users updated their photographs with a rainbow flag, and many companies also joined the rainbow flag craze. Even the White House issued an image of the house with a rainbow flag.
When my husband got home from work, I excitedly updated him on the news across the pond. When we talked about the decision by the Supreme Court, he wasn’t the least bit excited nor did he see it as a landmark. I was shocked! How could this news not be big regardless of what your opinion on the subject is?
I finally commented about his lack of surprise, and asked what his opinion on the subject was and he simply replied, “Waarom niet?”
It took me a while to understand his attitude towards the subject. I grew up in the U.S. and in Mexico (Only a handful of states in Mexico allow same-sex marriage, but the Mexican Supreme Court recently ruled that all states must accept same-sex marriage licenses from other states). Last week’s decision was a big deal in my head, but not in his. I began my research on the topic to understand where he was coming from.
In 1979, the Netherlands accepted what was called a samenlevingscontract that allowed same-sex couples could have limited rights when living together. Couples didn’t have to be registered at the gemeente to have these limited rights.
In 1997, the Netherlands finally allowed a registered samenlevingscontract for everyone. Many couples regardless of their sexual preference have benefited from this, especially those not wishing to marry but to live together.
On April 1st, 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. In Amsterdam, the burgemeester married the first couples to be benefited by this law.
After having researched the topic in the Netherlands, I realized why my husband wasn’t the least bit surprised nor moved. For the last 14 years, it has been common practice in the Netherlands. While discrimination might still be around, the laws have been more inclusive of everyone for far longer than other countries. It seems that love has been winning in the Netherlands for quite a long time!
Does your country have similar laws?
Comments:
Benjamin:
Hi I was reading your blog… not sure how I stumbled in it bit I’m glad I did. I see you are trying to learn dutch and I hope it’s Going well. I moved to Canada from the Netherlands when I was 14. (I’m 23 now) and reading all of your blog entries makes me miss my country. But I can see your husband’s opinion on the matter because I had the same one when my wife told me and was all exited about it. I remember being in grade 7 or 8 and having a gay teacher and one day we were joking around and one of my classmates went you are gay to witch I responded no you’re gay and then my teacher busted out saying he was the gayest and to this day it makes me laugh that he did. But I never really questioned why shouldn’t he be able to get married if everyone else is. And I think that’s where canada really shows its conservative roots when I see how many people are still against equal marriage right
Karoly G Molina:
@Benjamin Hello Benjamin! I am surprised by your view of Canada. I would have thought Canadians were a lot more open minded. However, I have to admit that I’ve never been to Canada and my only connection are two family friends who are the sweetest and most caring people I know. I hope moving from the Netherlands to Canada wasn’t too hard of a change.
Thank you for stopping by!
Karoly