One group of Baker students support President Barack Obama’s position on gay rights and civil unions.

Senior Melissa Brown, president of the Gay-Straight Alliance, hopes Obama’s views and support for civil unions will help to influence public opinion on issues related to gay rights.

“If Obama does support civil unions and talks in good support of them, then he has the opportunity to change people’s minds,” Brown said.

Strong in his religious beliefs as a Christian, Obama does not support gay marriages. However, he supports civil unions between same-sex couples.

A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to marriage. Civil unions are used to provide same-sex couples the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as a marriage between a man and woman.

“I like the idea of marriage, but civil unions are a better course of action across the board because both provide government benefits,” Brown said.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Wendi Born, faculty sponsor of the GSA at Baker, believes church and state should be separate.

“In my opinion, a civil union should be something only states should give and marriages should be something bestowed upon by the churches,” Born said.

Born views having a president in favor of civil unions as an ally for those fighting for gay rights and future voting on issues associated with gay rights.

“It is good to have a public ally and maybe some future ballots may not pass and more equal rights ones will,” Born said.

In this last year, there has been much controversy over gay rights in different states.<br/>One of the more controversial bills was the passing of Proposition 8 in California last November. One of the more controversial bills was the passing of Proposition 8 in California last November.
One of the more controversial bills was the passing of Proposition 8 in California last November.

This proposition restricts the definition of marriage strictly to only the union of a man and a woman in California. Since the proposition passed, it has eliminated the right for same-sex couples to be married.

“I think it is great Barack Obama is in support of civil unions, but I do not think that it is enough,” freshman Ashley McEachern said. “We need a leader who stands stronger on gay rights and marriage.”