My Sister

On Monday, March 10, 2014, my sister became the happiest I’ve ever known her to be. She married the love of her life and is enjoying the happiness and misery that only married people will have the privilege of knowing.

I, of course, was at SXSW toasting to their union and shouting, “My sister just got married!”

When people asked why I wasn’t at the wedding, I answered that having her family tag along would defeat the purpose of an elopement. The truth is I would have loved to be there to officially welcome Erin into our family, but I couldn’t afford to leave Texas. As it so happens, Texas wouldn’t allow them to get married because Alicia and Erin are a same-sex couple.

Some people don’t understand what happens when you tell a couple that their love cannot be taken seriously because of their sexuality. They think that it is a matter of respecting the sacred bond of matrimony and that marriage should be between a man and a woman. They think that their religious views should be venerated, while refusing to acknowledge that just because someone is gay it doesn’t mean they don’t believe in God.

It’s not saying, “Please respect my beliefs.”

It’s saying, “Please don’t argue when I don’t allow you the same rights as everybody else.”

I felt that Erin was my sister long before they said their vows. I felt it by seeing how hard they loved and the sincerity in their joy. I felt it every time she made my sister laugh, that loud, obnoxious bark that startles their cats, Bones and Mr. Sulu.

I am so proud to call them my sisters. I’m happy that they grabbed the world by the lapels, gave it a good shake, and said, “Dammit, we can love too.”