The GLBT community deals with election results
Election results for Amendment 43 and Referendum I were announced less than two weeks ago; however, for many members of the community, these results are still hard to swallow. While most people continue their lives unphased by the election results, others are left in a state of uneasiness.
Amendment 43, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, passed and Referendum I, which would give domestic partnerships more rights, failed. Many members of the GLBT community and their self-proclaimed allies are feeling shocked and defeated. The results leave them wondering who voted which way and why.
“I knew that Amendment 43 would pass just because of how Colorado has chosen to vote in the past and because of the society that we live in, and I knew that Referendum I would be close, but I was definitely disappointed when I found out the results,” said James, a junior environmental design major. He did not want his last name published because he has not come out to all of his friends and family.
This is not the first time the GLBT community has been politically targeted, but that does not mean it gets easier for its members to move on.
Stephanie Wilenchek, the GLBT Resource Center director, has been left with a mixture of emotions.
“You know, it is heartbreaking, sad, shocking and not shocking. It brings up a lot of hatred for and within the GLBTQ community and impacts our ability to continue on day-to-day,” Wilenchek said.
Although not everyone has the same view on the rights of GLBT community members, the voting pattern did seem promising for the future. Accoridng to CNN.com, 47 percent of voters voted for Referendum I and 42 percent of voters voted against Amendment 43.
“I was hoping that the people of Colorado and non-GLBT folks would surprise me but they didn’t,” Wilenchek said. “It hurts because this is not how you want people to act or feel but you can’t change it.”
Although election results did not turn out the way many hoped, James still sees hope for the future.
“It was promising to see how the state voted this time around,” James said. “A lot of people voted for the general rights of GLBT people, and all we can do is try again in the future.”
