Happy Day//Making History

Today I woke up to the AMAZING news that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage.  Best start to a day I've had in a long, long, long time.

I'm so unbelievably happy about this.

I feel like I'm part of a generation that was coming of age right as the fight for gay rights was becoming a major issue.  I remember being 17 and a junior in high school and writing my argumentative essay for AP English about why gay marriage should be legal.  At the time I was just starting to question my own sexual orientation and it mattered to me.  I was also pretty sheltered at the time, and since I was raised by fairly liberal parents, I had no idea how much backlash I was going to get for it.  (Seriously, my peer review group for that essay was one of the worst experiences of my life).  Then I went to college, met a bunch of people who were like me (both as far as supporting gay rights and as far as not being heterosexual), and contributed to that fight however I could.  So really, even though I've mostly been on the sidelines and have given support from a distance, I feel like the fight for gay rights has always been a part of my life.  And I've seen a lot of victories and a lot of steps in the right direction, but nothing has felt as good or as significant as this.

I'm happy for all of my friends who can get married legally even if they live in a state that wouldn't typically honor anything but straight marriage.  I'm happy for my friends who are already married and now don't have to worry about their marriage being legal if they move to a different state.  I'm happy we finally have a government that's willing to take a stand for equal rights and apply the law and the constitution fairly and not try to make religious leanings into law.  I'm happy that as a girl who identifies as bisexual, the legality of my (hopefully someday) marriage won't changed based on whether I end up with a man or a woman.

Definitely a day for celebrating.  Thank you, Supreme Court!

Election Day

I voted today.

That was hours ago, though, and the election results are in now.

Barack Obama gets a second term.

I'm thrilled with those results, I really am!  I hate talking politics with other people (politics brings out the worst in everyone, myself included, so I usually avoid the topic in conversation).  But I am a proud liberal and a staunch supporter of Barack Obama, and the first time he won I was beyond thrilled.  I know he hasn't been a perfect president but I think he's done what he can, and I think he genuinely believes in what he says he believes in.  I truly feel that he has this country's best interests at heart and that he is the only candidate who cares about everyone who's living in this country, not just the wealthy and the upper crust.  (Sorry, just my honest opinion).  I also think he really has had a lot to deal with, and that he's done his best with what he was left.  He's dealt well with some of the more disgusting things his opposers have done--for example, repeated requests for his birth certificate and lynchings of Obama effigies.

I think he's the best thing for our country right now, and I think he'll accomplish a lot more in his second term than in his first.  I have complete confidence and faith in him, and I am incredibly happy that so many people agreed.  I know it was a tight race, and that didn't surprise me, but still.  I also think that regardless of who is in office, whether Obama or Romney or someone else entirely, improvement is going to be slow.  The economy isn't going to recover overnight, equal rights issues won't be resolved quickly, so on and so forth.  But I think things ARE improving (the number of calls I've gotten back from jobs I've applied for is proof) and I think Obama will continue striving to improve them.  I believe that Romney would have been a step backwards--especially for women.  Even if I hated Obama, I would not have voted for Romney.  I'd have gone third party (which is what my dad did).

So here's to 4 more years.