One step

   Today marks a very important day that I may never forget. On November 5th 2013, the right to marriage for homosexual couples was voted into legality in the state of Illinois...and I couldn't be more thrilled.
   Today marks a victory held by so many close friends of mine that it feels like a personal victory. Knowing that I will be able to visit my friends' families in a few years and that they will be legally protected as a family entity is unbelievably rewarding. And I cannot help but feel that little light of hope- that the government is listening. We've been fighting amongst ourselves and fighting for equality for so long and now, we've been heard. We've been acknowledged. We have changed the world for the better of equality of all human beings...and it happened right before my eyes in my home state. And even though it's one state, it's something. We may not have changed the nation, but there is a couple out there with tears in their eyes right now because of the promise our state brings. According to the Chicago Tribune, President Obama comments, "Michelle and I are overjoyed for all the committed couples in Illinois whose love will now be as legal as ours — and for their friends and family who have long wanted nothing more than to see their loved ones treated fairly and equally under the law". And on June 1st...it will all be set into place.
   As I celebrate, the comments my peers leave on Twitter do sting. I grew up in an extremely conservative and religious town in which liberal views were present...but easily shut down. I had gay friends, but their struggle to stay closeted to remain an accepted member of the school's community was unreal. And I hope I never have to witness another loved one endure that again. While these nasty comments and tweets do feel like a setback in our fight for equality, a friend of mine made a brilliant point.
   She commented that hatred can only poison the mind that allows it. As you can despise someone who makes you feel the weight of their hate, you have to understand that by letting your anger rise...you are not any better than they are. People can either feel happy or uneasy, but what it all boils down to is that people are as much equal as they are individuals- a balance that has put mankind in a stupor for centuries.
   But here's to equality, and making sure good innocent people can go about life with undeniable rights, whether you agree or disagree. Here's to the people who understand that true love is unbreakable, here's to the lawmakers, here's to the celebration of life we all deserve.