Growing up, it is not uncommon for an individual to imagine their "big day". Imagine walking down the flower-paved nave, while the happy, expectant smiles of friends and family light up the church walls. Maybe they gasp when they see you, your spouse waiting patiently for you on the other side of a once-in-a-lifetime walk. But what if this isn't the case? What if the person on the other end is a person of the same sex? Has your opinion changed, your view of a picturesque moment suddenly distorted? Instead of bouquets and smiles, images are forced into endless cases and rows. Chances are, your prediction didn't include facing pastors' refusal to sanctify your marriage. Or be forced to deal with the rejection and alienation of society as a whole. All because of the gender of the person waiting at the other end of the aisle. It's funny how we grow up learning to love and accept each other, yet we're quick to judge others when we find their situations intersecting with ours. own ethical boundaries. While social acceptance is yet to come, same-sex couples should be guaranteed the same federal and state benefits and have access to the same rights as heterosexual couples. Although our Constitution defines America as the land of the free, under which all men are created equal, it appears that in some cases the opposite has actually occurred. Gay marriages, or even just same-sex couples, are considered shameful. Something that should be hidden. It's normal for gays to be treated as if they have reason to be ashamed of who they are. Not only do we as a society reach the point of alienation and rejection, but the government also places limits on the rights of same-sex couples. For example, as stated in ... half of the document ... you would be afforded the same benefits and legal rights that we often take for granted. When did love become illegal? Why is it okay to delve into the dangers of life, but not okay to be gay? These are the questions that need to be addressed and society to reflect on. It is the smallest steps taken by man that have had the greatest impact on humanity, and the same is true here. Progress is progress, and regardless of who is on the other side of the wedding aisle, we should recognize one thing: love comes in various guises. If there's anything we should learn from all of this, it's that now is the time to move forward and recognize that people are all people, with the same bones, the same bodies, and the same capacity to love. Now is the time to leave judgment behind for a greater appreciation of the human soul. Now is the time to make love legal.