Kara Mitchell was more than ecstatic when she saw a friend's Twitter update Feb. 17. Her friend tweeted about Facebook's new relationship status that gives users two new relationship options to choose from: "in a domestic partnership" and "in a civil union."
"There are 500 million users as of 2010 on Facebook. Five-hundred million people — that's a lot of people to cater to, and with 6 to 10 percent of the United States population being gay, that's at least 50 million people who need to be represented correctly on Facebook," Mitchell, a senior advertising major, said. "And if they want to tell everyone they're in a civil union, that option should be there for them."
Mitchell said she is a spokeswoman for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, mainly because she is an openly gay woman.
"It's important for me to help advance the community and support the community as much as possible. There's been so much controversy and so much struggle. It's important to have this issue at the forefront of the nation's mind," she said.
The issue of same-sex marriage has been a hot topic. Last Wednesday the Obama administration said it will no longer oppose court challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act. The Act prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages for purposes of taxes, social security and other programs — even if they are state recognized.
Indiana's law states that same-sex marriage is illegal, and now the Legislature is pushing for a state constitutional amendment. In order for the measure to take effect, it needs to pass the House and Senate as well as a Hoosier vote. The process would take close to three years before passing, according to an Indianapolis Star article.
The Indiana House approved the measure on a 70-26 vote Feb. 15. All but one Republican voted in favor, along with 11 Democrats.
Michael Thomas, senior entrepreneurship major and technology chair of College Republicans, said he wants students to know that not all Republicans are in favor of the ban, even with the overwhelming Republican vote to pass the measure in the House.
"There are definitely certain parts of the Republican Party that are pushing for a ban on gay marriage, arguing the Christian rite or that it weakens traditional marriage. But there are also moderate Republicans who are more open to the idea of civil unions, and you'll even find some who are completely fine with the whole idea of same-sex marriage," he said. "It really does go all over the map, even within [College Republicans]."
Thomas said he is surprised by the opposing interests of Facebook's relationship status options and the government's push to ban same-sex marriage.
"It's an interesting thing to compare that you would have a website being more accepting of [same-sex marriage], and at the same time see a move by government to be less accepting of it," he said.
Holly Gillham, College Republican public relations chair, said she is one member who is more open to the idea.
"I'm not completely against same-sex marriage because as a Republican I think the government needs to get out of the way on many issues, one of those being same-sex marriage," she said. "I still do not completely agree with it, because I feel that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman. However, I do understand that there are a lot of people with opposing views, and if they wish to have a civil union, I'm not against that at all."
Mitchell said it doesn't matter to her if the government calls it marriage, a civil union or domestic partnership as long as same-sex couples can have the same rights as couples in heterosexual marriages.
"All I want is for there to be equal rights between straight couples and LGBT couples. So long as I can get married and be able to visit my partner in the hospital and give my partner benefits at work, I don't care what it is called," she said. "To me, it will always be marriage whether it's called marriage [or something else.]"
Even though she is not in a relationship right now, Mitchell said she, along with her other single friends in the LGBT community, are still thrilled to have this relationship option available on Facebook.
"I have friends who are single that changed their statuses to say ‘civil union' just because it's there, and they're so excited about it and want people to see it," she said.
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