AFY_Will
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When I was 2 years old, my parents took me along on a trip to Hawaii. I remember almost nothing of this trip, but the pictures in the family photo album show a blond kid who never wanted to get out of the ocean - and who really liked his bright orange water wings! I've always been kind of bitter that the trip was wasted on me when I was way too young to enjoy it, but it might be time for that to change...
My #1 new reason to visit the Aloha State? According to the Associated Press:
A majority of state House members support legislation that would legalize civil unions between same-sex couples.They would have the same rights, benefits and protections that state law affords married opposite-sex couples.
Now, I'm one of those people who believe that we have a lot of more important battles in the fight for GLBT equality before we fully tackle gay marriage. But I'm also a hopeless romantic who is planning to (someday!) throw the most kick-ass wedding the world has ever seen.Thirty-two of 51 House members are backing a bill by House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro, D-Aiea-Halawa, that would allow partners who obtain a license to enter into a civil union.
So when a state like Hawaii takes a huge step towards granting all the legal benefits of marriage to same-sex couples - even if they're ducking the fight over the word "marriage" - it's cause for celebration. Straight couples have been heading to Hawaii for decades in search of destination weddings. It's about time we were allowed to do the same...
"Destination Commitment Ceremony" just doesn't have the same ring to it, though.
Staring at that phrase on my computer screen, it starts to feel kind of like a slap in the face - a reminder that, even as we take some rather important steps forward, we still live in a country that deems it necessary to relegate our relationships to some parallel universe. That no matter how far we've come, we're still not full citizens in a land that aspires to "freedom and justice for all."
Maybe it's because of there is still so far to go - so much work still left undone - these moments of hope still matter so much. Hawaii might decide to legalize civil unions. That's big. It's not perfect, and it sure as hell doesn't solve everything. But it's something.
And let's be honest, it doesn't hurt that it's Hawaii: perfect weather, a 25% cost of living adjustment from the government for living there, awesome beaches...
Now all I need is the boy!
No?