At the Grammy's this evening, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are set to perform their song 'Same Love', a song whose major theme promotes the legalization of same sex marriage. The duo's performance plan includes the marriages of 34 different couples officiated by none other than Queen Latifah. The couples span sexuality, race, and age and include Lewis's sister among the bride-to-be's. In the past, Macklemore has clearly expressed his stance on the legalization of gay marriage, but this performance transcends the promotion of just same-sex marriage. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are making a message about equality, juxtaposing all different types of people with their common denominator being love and soon, marriage.
I believe this article cuts straight to the core of the argument for gay rights: equality. We are all people so shouldn't we be guaranteed the same rights? With DOMA recently being defeated and the multiplying number of states legalizing gay marriage, society's answer to this question appears to be shifting closer and closer to yes. The Grammy's allowing such a conspicuous advocation for same sex is monumental in and of itself. The article mentions the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences's sensible attitude that people will have opinions, although he does not appear worried about the public's reactions. If this were truly such a controversial issue, I highly doubt the academy would remain unworried about the tide of public sentiment. The permission granted by the academy for these marriages to take place in this way shows in itself the changing view on same sex marriage. As close by as five years ago, such permission would never have been granted, but I believe same sex marriage is gaining societal acceptance at an increasingly rapid rate. I do not know whether this is due to a change in people's beliefs, a change in their view of equality, or several other possible reasons, but I do know that with same sex marriage gaining ground, a culture of love is on the rise.
