One Step At A Time

San Diego Mayer Jerry Sanders backs gay marriage rights after having publicly opposed it for the past couple of years. In announcing his support for equal marriage rights he also revealed that his adult daughter is a lesbian.

In the end, I could not look any of them in the face and tell them that their relationships -- their very lives -- were any less meaningful than the marriage that I share with my wife Rana

I remember when I discovered that one of my closest friends was gay. We'd been friends for years. We played softball and racquetball together. I had keys to his house, sometimes crashed on his couch and regularly used his washer and drier.

When I realized he was gay I didn't come out and say anything to any one for a few days. I think I was a slightly nonplussed. A couple of days later I asked his younger brother, subtly, about it. He confirmed what I knew. By the time it already didn’t matter to me. I never had anything against homosexuals. I just had never known that I knew any. My friend was still my friend. He was still the same guy I had always known. I still played sports with him, still watched Bevis and Butthead and The Muppets at his house before going out to the bars, still did my laundry at his house.

Ultimately, this is what is going to change opinions across the country. As more and more people realize they have known and befriended gays and lesbians their entire lives the prejudices will begin to disappear. It may not be as fast as many would like and there will always be residual hatred by those that don’t like people different than them. Ultimately though, and it seems to be happening quicker and quicker now, equality will come.