New York State has voted down marriage equality. A lot of people just don't believe all adults should be allowed to get married, usually for religious reasons, which is silly because you need to obtain a license from the state to get married, and there's a separation of church and state in this country, so denying someone the right to get married based on their sexual orientation is actually against the Constitution. The 14th Amendment, actually: Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
I'm an unmarried heterosexual woman, and since I probably won't be using my right to get married, I would like to give it away. I would like to sell it to the highest bidder and donate the proceeds to an organization that supports LGBT rights since the government designed to protect all of us is picking and choosing based on what they think is icky, weird, or unknown to them.
Bid now, and you can have my super wonderful privilege and legal ability to get married as many times as you want in a classy place like the one pictured. You don't have to know the person, you don't have to like them, you don't have to think through your decision to get married or anything - you can just do it! Because you can! Come on, it's cool to get married, and think of the pictures you'll have to show people of this person that they will definitely think is so wrong for you and probably is! But heavens to BETSY, do NOT marry someone of the same gender because that would be a mockery of the institution of marriage.
And if it doesn't work out, just get divorced. Half the cool people who get married do that anyway.
I will write you up a fancy, wonderful, articulate proclamation handing over my right to get married. I have no official documentation because this is something I was born with since I was born heterosexual. Unfortunately, this is only a symbolic gesture. However, since I'm picky and difficult, it's probably something that, if a physical object, would have been considered pristine and shiny after some dusting. Your bid, on the other hand, is real, and the donation you make to an organization that supports those who have been treated as second-class citizens will be well worth it. (And if you can't afford to bid, you can make an individual donation of any size. Just click on "Donate Cash" to the left. And if you can't afford that, simply spread the word!)
The organization I've chosen is the Point Foundation, whose mission is to provide "financial support, mentoring, leadership training and hope to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression." Some of you may still be on the fence about marriage equality. That's fine. But the Point Foundation is about intelligent, promising kids who are being rejected, mocked, and misunderstood. We all know that happens when we're teenagers. But imagine all that plus coming to grips with your sexuality and wondering if your own family is going to accept you. Maybe by the time these kids have to worry about it, marriage will be an option for them too. That is who you can stand up for now.
This auction will run through Valentine's Day. Why?
1. This is about love. It's also about compassion and opening your heart.
2. We all need time to recover from the holidays.
3. I hate Valentine's Day. This will make it worthwhile.
Happy Bidding!
Jamie Frevele
