Editor’s Column: America, We’re Breaking Up

This is the time of year where we celebrate love, looking at all things queer wedding, gay marriage, and LGBTQ partnership. And we’re still doing that this year. But we couldn’t do it without acknowledging where we are in the world right now in relation to queer rights and marriage equality rights across the U.S.

Folks are more scared than ever that we’ll lose the right to marriage equality, rushing to get married or leaving the country altogether. And of course, there are those who point out we never really had marriage equality in the first place, with disabled folks unable to marry without losing their benefits and polyamorous partnerships not being legal on paper. And they aren’t wrong. We should be moving in an even more inclusive direction, but instead, we’re aggressively going backwards.

So, all the more reason to celebrate queer love in all its forms! There are no guarantees for what tomorrow will look like, but we do know one thing: We’re fighting back, and one of the best ways to do that is to refuse to be silenced. We’re celebrating weddings, queer-friendly wedding vendors, and of course, those who are fighting the good fight alongside their partner in power couple crime as they stand up for queer rights locally and nationally.

So whether you’re proudly coupled, throupled, in a situationship, happily single, or playfully mingling, only a few things matter. Consent is mandatory; love is love, and doing what makes you happy should be your top priority. Don’t let anyone tell you who you can be or love, and keep fighting the good fight.

-Addison Herron-Wheeler