LGBT Hospital Visitation Rights

It went into effect Tuesday that patients now are able to make decisions regarding their own visitation rights and whom is to make medical decisions on their behalf, "paving the way for members of the LGBT community to have further control over their own medical decisions, " according to an article in the Huffington Post.

I was certainly glad to hear this. Stories of people unable to see their loved ones in times of crisis haunt me and have been a constant concern for those in committed homosexual relationships. This new legislation is great. It is important. But it is also, not enough.

I can't help but worry that this legislation and other legislation that is intended to accommodate the LGBT community is pushing us further away from the primary issue: equal marriage rights for everyone. I'm fearful that the more we develop laws that cater to the LGBT community, the more arguments will arise that gay marriage is no longer necessary now that there are loopholes in which gays can acquire the rights that they deserve. These rules would not need to be put into place if gay marriage was legal and rights could be distributed as such. We don't need loopholes, we need equality. I only hope that this is increasing the sensitivity of our country and supporting a more progressive mentality.

I'll take this small step towards equality with a grain of salt. Salt makes everything taste better.