Support for same-sex marriage is growing and this week, there’s a chance it will gain some momentum here in Michigan.

Thursday, Judge Bernard Friedman of the U.S. District Court is expected to rule on some motions that could include a local gay adoption case.

We hope he will make progressive decisions.

April DeBoer and her partner, Jayne Rowse, both registered nurses, are seeking joint custody of their three special needs foster children.

They want to challenge the state’s definition of marriage, which is the underlying issue in their quest for joint adoption.

Friedman will make several motions at Wayne State University Motion Day in front of the university’s law students Thursday, March 7.

One of those motions will be DeBoer and Rowse’s case, according to the Huffington Post.

In 2004, Michigan voters approved a same-sex marriage ban. Since its approval, it has been challenged in court several times.

As a state, it’s now our opportunity to overturn this law and grant equality for everyone. It’s time for change.

Currently, amendments to the U.S. Constitution give states the right to determine their own gay marriage laws.

As a nation, we’ve started to successfully alter our views. But it’s still not enough.

Same-sex marriage is prohibited in 41 of the 50 states, even with support from President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

It’s time for change.

Oakland University faculty in same-sex relationships don’t receive the same benefits as those in a traditional relationship.

OU employees may claim same-sex partners as “qualified adults,” and a number of faculty do that, according to AAUP President Karen Miller.

Those denied the ability to marry miss out on many things — the Social Security benefits of their partner, hospital visitation rights and even the ability to jointly file taxes.

Sentiment in favor of same-sex marriage is growing. Currently, 48 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, while only 43 percent strongly oppose it, according to the Pew Research Center.

If anything, same-sex marriage is a constitutional right protected under the First Amendment, which protects both speech and religious practice.

The Oakland Post’s editorial board encourages Judge Friedman and the State of Michigan to embrace equality. Stop denying fundamental rights based on who someone chooses to be with.

Martin Luther King said, “if one of us is not free, then none of us are free.”

We hope the right choice is made. It’s time for a change.

 

The staff editorial is written weekly by members of The Oakland Post’s editorial board.