Many people who change their minds from being against marriage equality to being for it chalk up their “evolving” to knowing someone personally who is gay. Such was the case for Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who recently revealed that a) his son is gay, and b) he thinks gay people should be able to marry the person they love.
Another Republican senator, Mark Kirk of Illinois, has now stepped forward to endorse marriage equality, but for more compelling reasons. In a short blog post, Kirk laid out his position simply.
When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others.
Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this Earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back– government has no place in the middle.
Climbing those steps was difficult for Kirk because he is recovering from the stroke he suffered in January of 2012.
Kirk’s statement doesn’t represent a change in his views. He is on record as voting against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, sponsoring a bill to end workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, and voting against a ban on same-sex marriage. But it does show that more Republicans are willing to vocalize their support for marriage equality, even as the official party platform continues to defend unequal treatment of gay and straight Americans.
The difference between Portman’s evolution and Kirk’s stance is that one wonders if Portman would have seen the light if not for the personal interest of actually knowing and loving a gay person, and wanting his son to be happy. Kirk, on the other hand, cited no personal stake in his statement. Marriage equality, he said, is simply the right thing for a country that considers itself fair.
Update: It’s been brought to my attention that there are rumors that Kirk himself is gay, which would destroy my whole, “he spoke up for the right reasons” argument. Don’t you hate it when that happens? If Kirk is gay, then his statement is a bare minimum response. If he’s not, and if he’s just tired of his fellow Republicans involving themselves in people’s private affairs, then bravo. Maybe we’ll find out which is true eventually.
