When someone changes their position on marriage equality, there's usually a story behind why. For some people, they realize that a family member or close friend is in a same-sex relationship. For others, it might be a person they respect or an authority figure who comes out in support of marriage equality that helps create the space for them to evolve on this issue as well (thanks, again, Obama).
Regardless of why someone changes their position on marriage equality from "no" to "maybe" or "yes", there's always a story. We call that a "journey story", because it usually happens over time and involves many factors. Last week, I spent a day in Augusta, talking to lawmakers about the upcoming election for same-sex marriage in November here in Maine.
As I've mentioned before, I was an active volunteer in 2009, when the same-sex marriage bill was first introduced in the Maine legislature. I attended the public hearing at the Civic Center in Augusta with thousands of other Mainers, collected postcards to send to elected officials from voters in their districts and I was present in the State House when the Senate and the House voted to pass the bill. I will never forget how I felt when I received the news that the Governor had signed the bill into law. I sat in my office in Sanford and cried tears of happiness and relief.
Being so involved, I also witnessed people who did not support the bill in 2009. I encountered many of these individuals during the campaign when the new law went out to voters for a referendum. When the debate got heated, I always tried to remember the Golden Rule. I tried to remind myself that anyone who was on the opposite side I was on at the time could be on the same side I was on in the future. Maine's a small state - who can afford to burn bridges?
Last week I was thankful I kept doors open. A lawmaker who voted against the bill in 2009 has changed his position and wants to help us win in November. I'm going to keep the details quiet for now, which is difficult to do because I will never forget my conversation with this person. I drove home to Portland crying the same tears of happiness and relief I cried in 2009. It is powerful to witness change.
Regardless of where you stand on this issue, all of us are on a journey toward November. It's my constant hope that we continue to gain more support for same-sex marriage every day, through conversations happening across the state. After last week, I know that anyone I might think is my adversary can become my ally in a moment, a month or a few short years. I can't wait for the next time I'm taken by surprise at the ending of someone else's journey story.
