The “Period” group met again this weekend.  This group, made up of high school students, meets to discuss sex. At first they wanted to learn more about menstruation and our first few meetings revolved around periods, cramps, tampons, etc.  But the group has evolved to a place where we can talk about a variety of issues related to sexuality. In our recent meeting, the students began talking about homosexuality.  We talked about the current status of same-sex marriage and what this meant.  At this point, only Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont give same-sex couples the right to marry. The District of Columbia will probably begin allowing same-sex marriages sometime in February.   However, battles over same-sex marriage continue and legislation was recently defeated in New Jersey and New York. A vote in Maine overturned same-sex marriage legislation in mid-November.   But our discussion the other night wasn’t about which states allow same-sex marriage.  What students wanted to talk about was why anyone would not want gays around them.

One comment that was made that night keeps ringing in my head.  It was said by one of the female students in response to “what if you had a kid that was gay?”  She said “honestly, I hope my son is gay!”  This comment really made me think about being a high schooler myself years ago.  At that time, there were no “out” students and there were no gay/straight alliances.  Of course there were gay students but most weren’t out. Times have changed and so have the students opinions about homosexuality.  It’s refreshing to see because it shows you how today’s youth embrace diversity and understand it at a much deeper level than many adults.  They often find it hard to believe that anyone would want to deny a gay couple to marry.

My thoughts about this high school group keep running through my head, especially today since it was a historic day for same-sex marriage. A groundbreaking, historic U.S. federal trial began in San Francisco today and it will likely determine whether states will be allowed to ban same-sex marriage.  This case will probably be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court at some point, potentially resulting in a federal same-sex marriage law.  Unfortunately this may not be the outcome and we won’t know for at least a couple of years. Many people are watching this trial very closely (and we would be watching it even closer on YouTube if the Supreme Court didn’t block videotaped coverage this afternoon).  Hopefully the YouTube issue will be resolved within the next few days and we’ll be able to see what’s happening in the trial.

I am so thankful to be surrounded by young minds – and even more thankful they feel comfortable enough opening up and discussing these important issues.  You all rock!