Marriage Equality – One Step Closer but a Dream Still Deferred

The California Supreme Court in a monumental 4-3 decision overtuned the voter ban on same-sex marriage today, making California only the second state to approve marriage equality. 

I hesitated about posting this news here but since it is undocumented youth space, OUR space, and it does affect some of our lives, I had to share my elation. We have straight and gay DREAMers in our community who cried with joy at this news along with our brothers and sisters because even if it doesn't mean immigration equality, it means we are one step closer to achieving it for same-sex couples. As Gavin Newsom said in his press conference today, when California rolls, the rest of the nation rolls with us.

There is still work to be done as what the ruling doesn't do is grant same-sex couples federal benefits and especially immigration rights. Thousands of bi-national same-sex couples are forced to either live in the shadows or leave this country because their love and life is not sanctioned by the state. And that is simply intolerant and unacceptable, separate and unequal. 

So at the end of this monumental day, our dreams are still deferred, but slowly, we are inching closer to immigration equality for all, one step at a time.