They are one of the strongest and cutest couples I know.  They complement each other flawlessly in both a physical and a mental sense.  They've been together for over ten years and, although they just were officially married less than a month ago, they've considered themselves married for at least five years.  They are always smiling with each other, willing to do whatever it takes to make the other happy, and even own & run a business together.  Yes, these two lovely ladies are a match made in heaven; however, they had to go to a different state to be married because their state does not perform gay marriages.  Gay marriage should be legalized in every state because love is not based on gender, old-time customs change, and legalizing it would take the world one step closer to being a safe place for every individual.
     True love should never be based on gender, or lack of.  Many people do not identify with being male or female (asexuals), or identify with the opposite gender of what they physically appear to be (transsexuals).  Love should be based on other attributes such as trust, comfort, friendship, and life direction.  It is possible for a relationship to have trust without love, but it is not possible to have love without trust.  Every relationship starts as a friendship, even blind dates.  Every relationship has to have some kind of base, whether it be a similar liking, a mutual friend, or a common goal.  If two people are not comfortable being with each other, how can they expect to spend their lives together?  If one person in a relationship wishes to stay in one area because they have family and the other wishes to travel and get away from everything, how will they be able to compromise?  Some say that gay marriage should not be allowed because a couple of the same gender cannot provide the same emotional and mental support system for a child as heterosexual couples.  If that's the case, then single parenting should not be allowed because there is lack of both genders raising the child.  Others say that gay couples only raise gay children.  If that were true, then straight couples only raise straight children.  Another argument is that being gay is merely a disease that needs to be cured.  If that were true, then whenever someone prays to be straight, it would happen.  Whenever one goes to therapy to 'help them figure out their true orientation', it would be successful.  I myself tried to 'pray away the gay' when I first realized what was going on in my head.  5 years later, nothing has changed.  I have had more than one homosexual friend tell me that their parents wanted them to go to therapy for their 'condition'.  They went for several months with no change.
     Traditional ways change with the times.  A woman is no longer required to marry her rapist.  Women who have affairs are no longer killed.  Divorces are now legal.  Sex before marriage is no longer a crime punishable by death.  Many previously negative things have come to be acknowledged and accepted by modern society, so what would be the harm in allowing something beautiful to be accepted?  Many will use religious documents as arguments against allowing same-sex marriage.  However, the Bible is also against work on Sunday, cutting one's hair, adultery, false gods, and too much alcohol.  And look where we stand with these 'non-issues' today.  The hours of most businesses are the same on Sunday as they are any other day of week, we can make a career out of cutting hair, adultery is considered a 'sexual orientation' (called 'swinging'), we rarely think about God other than at Christmas, and there are free taxi services offered to those who get too drunk during the holidays.  The Torah (Jewish writing) states that sex between two men is forbidden; however, it does not specify about women.  Rabbis have since made the rule apply to women as well; however, between women it is not nearly as serious an offence.  The Qur'an (Islamic writing) does not specifically state for or against homosexuality; however, Islamists have adopted their own laws.  Even if the two women or two men are married, any same-sex act is considered adultery and punishable by flogging.  However, for the adultery charges to stick, there must be four witnesses to the event.  My best friend is a very extreme, almost radical, Christian.  When I first told him about myself, he blew up like a volcano, told me I was going to hell, called me very derogatory names, and said he never wanted me to speak to him again.  A few hours later, after he'd calmed down and had several mutual friends speak with him, and after I'd stopped crying, he came up to me and apologized, saying that he still loved me and still wanted to be my friend.  Another very Christian friend of mine, whose life goal is to be a youth pastor, was very calm when I came out to him. All he said was that it was my decision; he would still remain my friend, and wanted to know if we could hang out the next day as planned.
     This world needs to be a much safer place than it currently is.  We live in a world torn apart by crime and war.  To allow gay marriage would bring nothing foul or harmful to Earth.  It would be a gateway for acceptance.  Too many kids have killed themselves because of bullying due to their sexual orientation.  I am part of several anti-hate/ pro-gay groups on Facebook and it seems like every day I log on and see my news feed, there is another story about a child who took his or her life because they were tired of the bullying, or there is another story about an adult who was brutally assaulted and/ or murdered because they were attracted to the same gender as they were.  People seem to think of gays as some kind of monster, but the truth is that we are the same exact person we were five minutes before we told you we're gay.  Gays are not always flaming or flamboyant, it's not always possible to tell when a girl is a lesbian, and there is such a thing as being attracted to all sexes, or no sex in particular.  My boyfriend, for example, is very accepting of everyone.  Two sister-figures of his are lesbians in a relationship with each other.  Several years ago, they wanted to have a commitment ceremony (not even an actual wedding); however, no pastor in their area was willing to perform it.  My boyfriend stepped up, did what he had to in order to be certified, and led their ceremony himself.  Everyone seems to automatically think that homosexuals are only in relationships for sexual activities. Homosexual relationships are built on love just as heterosexual ones are.  In many areas, such as Africa and the Caribbean, same-sex acts are allowed between women; however, it is a punishable offence for men and same-sex marriage is not allowed for either gender.   This goes to show the perversion of today's society.  Many men find things such as this to be "hot", thus it becomes legal when it needs to be found as "love" and legal for both men and women.
     Our world needs to be a more open-minded haven for individuals of every age and orientation.  A child should not be afraid to go to school because he'll get bullied for having a crush on another guy.  An adult should not have to be constantly looking over her shoulder in fear for her life because she married a woman.  One of my favorite quotes is "The topic of gay marriage is very important to me. Or, as I like to call it, 'marriage'.   Because I parked my car this morning, I didn't gay park it.  I had lunch this afternoon, not gay lunch."  It points out the importance of acceptance and how 'gay marriage' is no different than any other marriage.  It should never be about the external, but the internal.  Never about how someone looks, but about who they are inside.  Yes, marriage is a sacred vow taken by two individuals to remain faithful to each other 'for better or for worse, in sickness and in health', but it never states that it has to be between a man and a woman.  The Bible states that "the two shall become one flesh;" however, so many things have been changed in the scriptures to incorporate both men and women when only man was specified.  Marriage of any kind should not be based on gender and should change with the times in order to make this world a safer place for all those who will inhabit it.