Visiting all the Possibilities

Gay rights activists recently lauded President Obama’s extension of hospital visitation rights to LGBTQ couples, strengthening the legal status of same-sex partners in the U.S.

However, a good friend of mine recently brought up an important part of this decision that I hadn’t quite considered previously:

Could this negatively impact the fight for marriage equality?

In the long term, yes, it’s possible.

Although no one in their right (and Constitutionally sound) mind would argue against access to hospital visitation rights for any couple, it does complicate the arguments for marriage equality.

One of same-sex marriage activists’ strongest cases for their political position stems from the idea of legal benefits and who receives them. Because gay couples are denied over 1,000 federal benefits without legally sanctioned marriages, activists are able to employ solid reasoning for gay marriage rights. In other words: why should one group receive a generous package of financial and legal benefits from the government, but other couples receive almost nothing?

However, one of these pervasive and persuasive arguments utilized to garner sympathy and support from more moderate Americans used to include hospital visitation rights.

Many Americans who have not been confident on whether to support same-sex marriage realize the dehumanizing process facing gay couples everywhere who have shared their stories of partners dying in the hospital and never being able to see them one last time. These stories may become a thing of the past and reduce support.

President Obama (who officially does not support gay marriage) may have changed the reality of arguments made by those who seek to extend marriage rights to all couples. Hospital visitations are now legal for LGBTQ people and thus, cannot be used to convince opponents who may have been unsure of what same-sex marriage means and why it's something for which we must advocate.

Sure, there are plenty of other very well argued, comprehensible and highly demanding reasons why marriage equality should exist. And of course, in the short term, it is commendable that current same-sex couples facing the “hospital issue” will now be able to put their worries behind.

Nevertheless let’s hope and make sure this change in policy does not curb the energy and progressive movement of the fight for same-sex marriage rights in the U.S.!