Tegan And Sara Address Gay Marriage

11/12/08 2:52pm

Tegan And Sara Quin don't live in California, but Canada's favourite musical lesbian twins have strong views on the passing of the state's Proposition 8, which will take away the right for same-sex couples to marry.

The two young women have been invited to be guest bloggers for Spinner.com for six weeks, and they individually took the opportunity to address the issue in their initial contributions.

Here are excerpts from Sara's post:

"I have been living in Montreal for six years. Montreal — and Canada in general — has the reputation for being a more lenient, understanding and open-minded country. Although I am grateful for the legislation that has made me 'equal' in the eyes of the law, you cannot legislate away people's disgust or ignorance. You can't remove the stinging intolerance and slurs of homophobic audience members' words in my ears.

"For any minority, this seems to come with the territory. What helps me hold my head above water is the understanding that I am legally equal in the eyes of my country. I pay taxes, I obey the law, and I respect my place in the community and strive to be successful in it. I want to be inspiring, a role model. I am fueled by the idea that my life as a message dismantles the public's image of gay people as sexual deviants, as less than, as being abnormal...

"As of 2005, I, as a Canadian, can marry. It is truly sad for me to think that there are millions of people like me, who cannot access these rights, these customs.

"'Gay marriage' is not what is at stake. It's the right to choose to marry, the right to benefits, the right to adopt, the right to access the same set of rights extended to every citizen in the United States of America. Those rights do not extend to homosexuals. And it's f---ed up. And you should care, straight or gay, white or black. Canadian or American."

In her blog, Vancouver-based Tegan quoted former Canadian prime minister Paul Martin, who supported the legalization of gay marriage in Canada. Here are some of the other things she had to say:

"I don't want to write about rage, but I have certainly felt it this past week. I felt it most when the girl I am dating — who has never dated a girl before — collapsed in her car and cried after the Prop 8 rally. She wondered aloud if we wouldn't make more progress by just crying rather than yelling and being angry. I've wondered this a lot myself. Is it in part our anger and our frustration that adds to their anger and judgment?

"I've felt personal rage because I've worked so hard to win over this girl, and now in the wake of a new relationship, I'm spending most of my time focusing on and reflecting the hatred and judgment some people feel for those of us who are in same-sex relationships and marriages. It's like telling someone your house is totally worth buying, but the only issue is that everyone on the block hates your house because it's the only one on the block with a single-car garage instead of a double. Ignoring the fact that, regardless of how it looks from the outside, yours is filled with the same love, compassion, and values.

"I feel rage when I imagine the Prop Yes people celebrating, thinking they've won something, when, in fact, they've just stolen something."