Lila Patinkin

On October 22nd, members of the Latin community, faculty and students alike, set forth on the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality. The event is exactly what it sounds like: an awareness campaign to secure final passage of Illinois Senate Bill 10, the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act,” which once approved would make Illinois the 14th state to treat all of it’s citizens equally under state marriage laws. The fact that Latin students and faculty had the opportunity to participate in something that could change the way Illinois sees the LGBTQQ community is inspiring.

The icing on top of this rainbow-colored cake was the speakers and performers who participated in this Illinois-flavored rally. People ranging from Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Dick Durbin to Reverend Carlton Pearson and our very own senior, Caroline Kaplan, stepped up to the podium. They stood in front of approximately 5,000 people and shared stories, opinions, and messages of love and equality. Caroline’s speech was a short but powerful piece about how it’s time for the youths of Illinois to stop “asking questions we already know the answers to.” The questions Caroline so tastefully brought included “Is marriage an unalienable right? Do we get to decide what family means to us? Do we get to chose who to love?” Caroline made sure that everyone knew that it was time for us, the youths of Illinois, to start providing answers. These words were spoken with such conviction that a resounding agreement began to echo from beyond the podium. Simply watching the clip* shows how Caroline’s speech brings to life the real meaning of the CAUSE and every other school club or youth organization with a similar message: to spread awareness and create acceptance among the future generation, so that we can make room for a future where love is universal.

I spoke to Caroline this Friday, and upon asking her what the general energy of the event was, she replied “the energy I think was mostly angry I think. Fed up is the best way to describe it.” The bill in question, SB10, has already been approved by the Illinois Senate (34-21), and came very close to passing in May, but, unfortunately, it has not yet been agreed on in the House, where 60 votes are needed for this bill to take the next leap towards becoming a law (as opposed to the 30 in the Senate). To have a taste of something that would change hundreds of Illinoisan’s lives, but then to have that taken away is more than frustrating.

Around twenty-five Romans were at the March on Springfield for Equality, including faculty. A numerous group of freshman, one sophomore, and a handful of upperclassmen left school for an entire day to march for what they believe in. It is to be recognized, however, that had the march taken place in a different time of year, even a different day of the week, many more Latin students would have attended. It is not lack of interest that prevents most of us from participating, but bad timing.

The Latin School prides itself on having open minds and hearts towards our LGBTQQ students, and the fact that even this small group was able to brave the cold weather, the long bus ride, and the schoolwork that would need to be done, is evidence of a future generation that is not only able, but willing, to make a change.