I was pleased to see that Dr. Peter Beilenson (who I remember as the Director of Health in Baltimore City, my home town) was quoted recently in the Washington Post for defining the lack of allowing same sex partners to marry as a ‘public health’ problem!  Now I know why I always loved this guy.

According to Beilenson…

“…what about the strong body of evidence that married couples fare much better, both physically and psychologically, than unmarried, cohabiting couples? This evidence alone illustrates that denying same-sex couples access to civil marriage is, quite simply, relegating them to inferior health status.”

Beilenson doesn’t stop there.  What he said next really made me mad about marriage inequality…

“Compared with unmarried partners, married couples have lower rates of depression and substance abuse, make fewer doctor visits, and suffer lower rates of overall mortality. Elderly married adults have lower health-care costs and have a lower likelihood of needing nursing-home care. Children of married parents do better as well — experiencing better physical health into adulthood.”

As Beilenson says, how can we as a society deny certain members of our community these ‘protections’, protections heterosexually married citizens take for granted?  Hey – I pay taxes too and am no different from straight couples who do.

And yet, I am denied this choice. Some might say each individual cannot be reduced to a health statistic, but the facts are thus: because I can’t choose to marry the person I desire, because I am denied that choice, I may be more at risk for some of the health problems Beilenson mentions above.

I was just talking with a gay Californian today who, even though they were single, said they felt, for the first time, like a whole person, after passage of Proposition 8.  This story illustrates the health benefits of choice.

Be sure you read the entire article here.  And, the direct link is here – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/14/AR2009031401559.html

As a fellow American, living in Florida (and facing our own battle SayNo2.org), I say help California maintain marriage rights for same sex couples.  Right now there is a serious battle being mounted against fair-minded folks by the religious right.  I hear this ‘last minute’ rush to donate to their coffers is typical for them.  Don’t let narrow-mindedness win out.

I’ve posted below three pieces of news on this issue:

1)  Win a Cruise When You Give to ‘Say No to Prop 8′ – My friend Shannon Wentworth at Sweet is runing a fabulous contest giving away a free cruise to someone who donates at least $50 to Say No to Prop 8.

To learn how to donate and be entered in the contest to win a Sweet cruise, click here.

2)  Get involved with the campaign directly by visiting the No on Prop 8 site.  You can even make calls from the comfort of home to find donors!

3)  Check out a new commercial filmed by Ellen Degeneres, who is asking California voters to please vote with their conscience not their fears:

Here’s Ellen’s commercial: