Your Gay Rights Epiphany

[Levin]

Question for you: if you support gay marriage rights, when did your support begin?

Have you always supported gay marriage? The first time you heard of the idea, did you say, "Yes, justice, fairness, equality, and this Nation's founding creed require it."?

Or did you oppose it initially, but you had an epiphany which sparked your support. A sibling coming out? The death of Matthew Shephard? The browbeating of SU?

Or has it been a gradual process for you, a breaking down of defenses, of increasing awareness and education, a surrender to the eventual?

And if you feel strongly about it, have you been expressing your opinions loudly for decades/years, such as at the time DOMA was passed by Congress? Or did you just start raising your voice after the Goodridge case in Massachusetts?

My sense is that there are very few epiphanies, and very many gradualists. But if the cause is right and supported by strong principle, why are there not more epiphanies?

I bet we all think we'd be vocal antebellum abolitionists. But in reality, I doubt we would be.