Equality advances in Wisconsin

Despite a rough national economy that has created difficulties for so many people and families in Wisconsin, one aspect of this past legislative year was cause for optimism.

When the Democrats took over the Assembly last year, one of my goals for being in leadership was mitigating the black eye Wisconsin deservedly got in passing a hateful, anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment in 2006. We did this by making sure all committed couples had basic protections for their relationships.

We were able to get that measure into the budget and begin the fall session focused on creating jobs and healing the economy, knowing that goal had already been met.

This continues to be great news for our LGBT community, because according to Fair Wisconsin’s most recent research, 1,437 couples have registered as domestic partners in Wisconsin since our registry law took effect in August 2009.

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Monogamy

In light of recent personal events, I’ve decided to focus this column on the dynamics of monogamous relationships. Being a relationship-oriented person, I’ve many times found myself in positions where I’ve been faced with the choice – to cheat or not to cheat.

If you’ve ever been in this position, you’ll understand that as much as you can love your partner, temptation is a sexy bitch who’s sometimes hard to resist.

I’m not saying monogamy is wrong. I’m just saying that people are not predisposed to be monogamous.

I watched a special on the Discovery Channel called “The Science of Sex Appeal.” It revealed the subconscious aspects of attraction.

The most interesting part was when it addressed the nature behind cheating. Simply put, it stems from the fact that men by nature have the need to make babies. Men find themselves attracted to fertile, reproductively healthy women. They have sex to relieve the need to impregnate them.

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Self-education

There is much to be gained from a lifetime of continuing education. The world has many riches and sources of pleasure to absorb. Those broad survey courses we all took in college provided only a smattering of what is available on any topic. They were designed to whet the appetite for learning more.

Self-education beyond college can involve reading books. But it also includes travel to new places, learning about different peoples and their cultures and the effort to have new experiences (e.g., in music, in art, in personal growth).

I can offer my own experience as an example. In recent years I have had to learn something about art and art history – after I was assigned the task of writing art reviews. It took me a while to get up to speed, but I spent a lot of time focusing on art, which benefitted my reviews and evaluations.

Based on my experience, gays have an advantage in pursuing the humanities and social sciences. There is almost always a gay aspect to them that can serve as an opening to the whole topic in its broader aspects.

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Questioning authority

As the controversy over Marquette University’s rejection of Jodi O’Brien as new dean of Arts and Sciences wore on in the past month, I found myself channeling Captain Renault in “Casablanca.”

I’m shocked, shocked to find discrimination going on in the Catholic Church!

Don’t get me wrong. I hope O’Brien gets a big settlement for enduring such shabby treatment. Ultimately, her reputation will be enhanced by the classy way she’s handled herself and by the national publicity given to her work. I feel bad for the students who are so disheartened by the actions of Marquette’s administration, and I certainly admire their protests.

But what world are they living in? Have they studied history? Do they know what the Catholic Church stands for?

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