Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

I meant to write about this the day the news broke, but as long as I'm thinking about gender and justice and activism and all that stuff, I should get this out.

Other people have posted about how happy the Massachussetts court decision about same-sex marriage makes them. I can't honestly say that it makes me happy. What I can say is that it gives me a glimmer of cautious optimism, and that the opposite decision would have made me angry. Right now I feel the way I do when "my" football team returns a kickoff to the 45-yard line -- it's good field position (that is, it makes the rest of the drive easier), but unless the next few plays go well, it's moot. Part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop -- you know it will; the only question is whether it's going to make a big noise or a small one -- and part of me is trying to figure out how to make sure the next three downs gain at least ten yards. But in this case, even standing on the sidelines and cheering loudly does something, as long as I cheer using reasoned arguments in places fence-sitters can hear.

So there's anticipation, a little relief, optimism, some feel-good at the gain, but not joy yet ... and there's also nervousness, especially since I've gotten used to expecting bad officiating in this game, and even a little cheating.

(Of course the football metaphor only goes so far -- there are more than two teams playing, and at least one team's strategy amounts to "try to piss off the other sides as little as possible while using them against each other".)

So it's good news, yes, but it's not a touchdown. Here's hoping. In the meantime, don't do the end-zone dance just yet -- exchange high-fives and huddle up for the next play.