Young, Gay Dreams of Matrimony
For 20-somethings, Prop. 8's demise is a barometer of equality, not a path to the altar
With the prospect of Walker's ruling becoming the law of the land, not everyone in the gay community is thinking of traditional-style marriages and spouses who share tidbits of workday life over dinner. Some critics charge that marriage will be one more nail in the coffin of a unique gay culture that is increasingly assimilating into the mainstream.
But their voices have been less robust than in years past, particularly with recent findings that marriage may make gay partners — especially men — more committed to each other, thus decreasing dangerous, promiscuous behavior.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men who have sex with men are still the population "most severely" affected by HIV, accounting for 53 percent of all new HIV infections in the U.S. and 48 percent of all people living with HIV. In 2008, the San Francisco–based Gay and Lesbian Medical Association published a paper that found, among other things, that marriage helps to "protect and promote the mental and physical health" of gay men and women; wards off "psychological distress and mood and anxiety disorders" that arise from being a victim of discrimination; and "increases development options for lesbian and gay adolescents and young adults, who could envision marriage as a key element of their adulthood."
"For me, marriage is deeply important," says McGehee. "We've never had a true foundation to support long-term relationships."
As the battle rolls on, young gays and lesbians are not only fighting for equal rights but, in the eyes of many, for healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.
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