Student pleas for marriage to stay: US

Student pleas for marriage to stay: US

Footage of an Iowan student has gone viral after the 19-year-old gave an impassioned plea to law makers this week, not to ban same-sex marriage.

A bill that could overturn gay marriage, but also ban civil unions or domestic partnerships for same-sex couples in the state, is currently before the Iowan Legislature.

Zach Wahls, the son of lesbian mums, spoke eloquently in front of lawmakers, imploring them not to support the bill.

“I’m not really so different from any of your children,” he said.

“Over the next two hours I’m sure we’re going to hear plenty of testimony about how damaging gay marriage is on kids, but in my 19 years not once have I ever been confronted by an individual who realised independently that I was rasied by a gay couple; and you know why, because the sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character.”

Despite his plea the Iowan House of Representatives voted 62-37 in favor of a bill.

The bill is now set to head to the Senate and could overturn a 2009 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that state laws prohibiting marriage on the basis of the partners’ gender, are unconstitutional.

Iowa was the third US state to allow same-sex marriage.

You May Also Like

One response to “Student pleas for marriage to stay: US”

  1. Dont worry it will get BLOCKED in the Senate of Iowa!!!!!

    Democrates control that House majority by just 2 votes!!!!