No, not really, but the queen of television had Melissa Etheridge and her wife Tammy Lynn Michaels on today talking about Prop.8 and the national debate that’s raging on about it. The clip starts with a great rundown of this week’s media coverage of the event. As soon as we have part two of the segment, we’ll post it.
Oprah Solves National Same Sex Marriage Dilemma
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Robert
I said it before…
Oprah didn’t take on anything…
Totally LAME… in the few minutes devoted to the topic (more time was spent speaking about the fires in Montecito) Oprah didn’t really say anything about prop 8 herself, she just let Melissa and her partner speak… and even that wasn’t as hard hitting as it could be.
C’mon Oprah, where is that hard hitting righteousness you have shown for causes that are important to you?
Shame on you Oprah… shame!
Joel
I think Melissa should get a divorce. Her wife gets a chance to speak to the world and this is the time she chooses to say that marriage just doesn’t matter? And then insists that people who supported prop 8 still love and accept us? It’s so depressing to see someone who gets to speak for a entire disenfranchised community of people, but all she can think of is how the situation affects her.
Ed
Isn’t it obvious?!? When you’re rich and sheltered it’s just not that important to consider the rights of others (ala oh so tired Elton & Tammy Lynn, who are far from alone).
You have to take pity on them though. I mean for this woman to be partnered to Melissa and still not have the guts to stand up to her family is just sad. My hear reaches out to her and I hope her money will keep her safe because it’s obvious that out in the real world, (where we gays have to fight for everything every minute), she would be d.o.a.
Here’s a clue to what she and a lot of others are missing. We’re not asking for acceptance anymore. We’re demanding tolerance!
Robert
@Ed:
Bravo!!!! Well said.
Smokey Martini
GAH!
Isn’t it just wonderful how Mel and Tammy Lynn use their kids as stage props to validate their marriage on TV? How cute is it that they color-code one another to match their kids’ stereotypically-gendered colors. Blue for Tammy and the boy! pink for Melissa and the girl!
LADIES, PLEASE! Can someone please tell them that the opportunity to talk to Oprah wasn’t about proving to her audience how similar THEY are to a run-of-the-mill straight family. It’s not about validating THEIR marriage, or talking about THEIR family’s reaction to their marriage. It’s about clarifying the issues surrounding same-sex marriage and the irrational fears that are thrown around when there is talk about ‘re-defining’ marriage and extending its privileges to gay couples.
It’s about giving ALL couples the chance to marry: REGARDLESS of their ‘normal’ or ‘alternative’ lifestyles; REGARDLESS of their willingness to conform to heterosexual models of relationship; and most basic to this fight: REGARDLESS of the sex/gender of one’s loved one.
While they mean to do good, these two princesses are TOTALLY off the mark!
Jeff
Btw, it’s spelled dilemma.
TheWeyrd1
I thought Melissa’s comments were well spoken in the time that she had (I’ve seen the whole interview). I understand Tammy Lynn’s sentiments about the word “marriage” and her take on her family’s acceptance of her own family with Melissa, but I don’t think she was meaning that she didn’t care about the RIGHTS that come with a full on marriage (as opposed to those in a civil union). She just doesn’t care if it’s called “MARRIAGE”, especially since the religious groups that think they own the word are the ones fighting to keep it from being applied to same sex couples. Frankly, I think the easiest solution is to let those religious right folks HAVE that word (marriage), as long as the phrase “CIVIL UNION” applies to ALL couples (two people regardless of gender mix) and confers ALL rights and responsibilities that currently are conferred when straight couples (as well as gays in MA and CT) get when they “marry”. Of course, that would also include that these rights and responsibilities are conferred at a federal level as well as a state level.
Robert
@TheWeyrd1:
I’ve been saying that all along… the work marriage is where we hit a brick wall.
Civil Unions (with all rights) for everyone, marriage for those that want to go to church and have a church conferred service.
ousslander
Like Robert said Oprah spent more time and concern for her and her friend’s mansions than prop 8.
I don’t remember her coming out for gay marriage. i could be mistaken
Paul
Ah, Tammy Lynn. No one briefed you.
Straights get a life. Gays, apparently, get a “lifestyle.” And an “alternative lifestyle” at that.
Good one. Thanks. Please don’t go on TV again.
Joel
@Robert:
Don’t forget that some of us want to go to church and get a church conferred service. And there are church’s that are happy to oblige. Regardless, whatever’s offered to straight people needs to be offered to us too.
Chris
Is that a microfiber couch? Good God.
Jai
“Regardless, whatever’s offered to straight people needs to be offered to us too.”
Thank you Joel. You are 100% right on!
Robert
@Joel:
Please read what I wrote, if you want to go to church and and have your union recognized (after you have government licensed union) and your church supports your union then you are free to do so (both of the churches I attend regularly support/perform gay unions (and call it marriage).
However that isn’t what is needed to confer the rights we want/need.
Marriage is a liturgical term that has made its way into the government licensing process.
No matter what the government legalizes, churches will never have to recognize LGBT unions of any kind.
So as I said, civil unions (or whatever term best fits) for all couples despite sexual orientation (with all rights now available under the term marriage) and then if you want to have a church recognized service and your church recognizes it then great! If they don’t then you should rethink if that is the right place to worship.