While society grapples with the concept of marriage in the twenty-first century, many may not realize that the equal rights movement is about more than the right to marry. Or, at least, it should be. From a historical point of view, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s focused on multiple forms of equality, as well. While civil rights leaders fought for the right to vote, they also fought for many other rights and privileges not afforded to minorities at the time. In my opinion, that’s one large factor that made the Civil Rights Movement so successful – it focused on a variety of issues and energized a large group of Americans who were passionate about different issues.
Today’s civil rights movement has focused so much energy on the right to marry, and I think many people forget about the other struggles in the LGBT community. While the LGBT community and its allies fight for the right to marry, there are many other struggles we must pursue. That equal sign that has come to symbolize the movement stands for so much more than marriage. It stands for equality in the workplace. It stands for the ability to visit your sick partner in the hospital. It stands for the ability to file taxes jointly. It stands for the right to adopt children and offer them a nurturing and loving home. Most importantly though, that equal sign represents the ability to feel comfortable in public – to be who you are openly and freely.
Last week, the United States Senate propelled the equality movement forward. Through a bipartisan vote, they passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act – a bill granting workplace protection to people based on their sexual orientation. Many people don’t realize that no federal law exists to protect workers based on sexual orientation. Only twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have their own workplace protection laws for people based on sexual orientation.
The future of the bill is clouded, though, as Speaker John Boehner threatens to keep the bill from a vote in the House. Because, apparently, he and thed Tea Party aren’t too worried about LGBT workers in America. Speaker Boehner suggests that such a bill would lead to many unneeded lawsuits. He suggests it would be a job-killer. Speaker Boehner is playing politics with innocent American lives, and he is halting equality to play political games. America is supposed to be the world’s beacon of freedom. Refusing to even vote on this law challenges that assumption.
The equal rights movement strengthens when it focuses on a variety of issues, like workplace protections. The equal rights movement is stronger when it focuses on building relationships and having discussions regarding whatever people are most passionate about. If you’re passionate about workplace rights, call your legislator; call your friends; call your family. As we move into the future, I hope the equal rights movement will focus more attention on other issues besides marriage. Because, one day, like it or not, our fight will be as successful as Martin Luther King, John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers, and the many others who fought for civil rights. And by focusing on a large group of dynamic issues, we can make that success even closer.
Adam Blackwell is a senior Public Policy Leadership major from Natchez, MS.
-Adam Blackwell
ablackwe@go.olemiss.edu
