Des Downunder On Sundays

Des Rutherford is away on holiday this week and will return on Sunday, July 3rd.  Substituting for him is Bart Vogelzang, an editor, and an advocate as well as an online community leader for those suffering from Asperger's syndrome, and who in his spare time is a rally enthusiast, participant and rally-race coordinator in British Columbia.

By Bart Vogelzang | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA -- Loving Equality

The momentous decisions in New York, resulting in legalizing of same sex marriage, are seen to be an equality issue, and while this may be true “under the eyes of the law”, true equality is still a distant hope.

The biggest challenge facing equality advocates is that equality, in the truest sense of the word, requires each to be treated equally, but how can we really do that, since each of us is unique and therefore unequal in just about everything; from body construct, to intellect, to compassion, to life experience, and yes, Lady Luck. Some have more of one thing, or many things, and others are lacking in those things. The combinations of those ‘more things’ and ‘fewer things’ are close to infinite, and they change on a minute-to-minute basis, as we wend, or force, our way through life.

What we need to do is identify the common denominator, and create equality for each of us based on that; that trait that is common to each and every person. Although there will obviously be some who will discuss (as in ‘argue’) about this, I feel that the common denominators for all of us are the need to share love, and the need to be respected; two things that are as closely tied together as your right arm and your left arm sharing your torso.

The new law in New York has taken the first steps, not only giving respect to homosexuals, but also acknowledging that they too can love just as deeply as heterosexuals. Sadly, the general public will take much longer to embrace it all, not from a legal viewpoint, but from a ‘gut’ viewpoint, in which everyone not only tolerates love between same sex people, but embraces love in all forms (and I’m not talking about marrying your cat as that would be a purrversion). Often we hear of even LGB people picking on T people, or L and G denouncing B. It has got to stop…love is such a beautiful thing, and if you don’t support it in all its many facets, you are doing humanity a disservice. Every time you see a couple and you think, or worse, actually say, “What the hell does she (he) see in him (her),” you are not really being true to yourself, as what you are really feeling is “Why can’t someone love me like that, despite my flaws?”

When each and every one of us can be happy when we see others loving each other, we will be on the road to equality. When each and every one of us can express our happiness at seeing others loving each other, we will be even further down the road of equality. It is up to each of us to take that step, and hopefully it will all end up in a surging mass of people all joined together in a common cause…love and respect for all. Or as John Lennon put it, “The love you get is equal to the love you make.”