Free to Love Equal Rights
Just last week, North Carolina voters passed a bill strictly defining marriage as between a man and woman. The day after, President Obama stated that he personally agreed with same-sex marriage.
Last year, my friend, Tom Bridegroom, suddenly died. He was gay and had been living with his partner for several years in California. They had promised to marry as soon as it was legal. Tom’s family never agreed with his homosexuality, and after his sudden death, they decided to cut all contact with his partner, Shane. After an entire year, Shane decided to speak through a YouTube video, about his experience with not only Tom’s family, but with the laws as they currently are.
For some insight on the state of the marriage equality fight, I spoke with LGBT advocate with Milwaukee’s Pathfinders, Julie Brock, about her reaction to the ban in North Carolina, the President and the video, “It could happen to you.”
“I was sad North Carolinians passed the ban, but not surprised,” Brock said. “Oppression is institutionalized in America.”






