Gay and lesbian high school students have a serious issue on their hands. While they may not think anything of it now, one day they may want to marry and start a family. Next month, Texans will have the chance to decide whether they should have that right.

Proposition 2, part of the constitutional amendment election on Nov. 8, would define marriage as between a man and a woman. This would further deny approximately 43,000 gays and lesbians in Texas one of the most basic rights that many enjoy and even more take for granted.

Some 43 states have passed gay marriage legislation or are debating the issue now. Nearly all have discriminatory policies in effect. Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Campaign have been fighting to prevent situations like this, but seem to be making little headway in predominately Republican states.

The fight for equal marriage rights is getting much harder.

Last year, Massachusetts tried to reverse the trend by granting full marriage rights to gays and lesbians by issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. Since then, San Francisco and the state of Oregon have also jumped on the gay marriage bandwagon.

The debate over gay marriage has steadily risen since 2001 when President George W. Bush heralded the Federal Marriage Amendment, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. By some frightening legislative fluke, this discrimination passed and was written into the U.S. Constitution. Proposition 2 seeks to spread this same prejudice to the Texas Constitution.

One of the principle arguments behind “one man, one woman” marriage legislation such as Proposition 2 is that the sanctity of marriage must be protected, namely, by excluding homosexuals. Bush, along with the rest of the Republican party, must think they have some sort of special rights to declare what is and isn’t sacred (marriage and homosexuality, respectively). However, with the epidemic increase in divorce and infidelity rates, one must ask the question; is marriage really so sacred anymore?

In a country founded on the basic principles of social, economic, and religious freedom, it would be fair to argue that Proposition 2 completely contradicts America’s founding principles. Many of the states themselves were founded on the basis of escaping persecution. By passing such discriminatory legislation, they’ve become hypocrites.

Other segments of the population, such as women or African-Americans, have fought for equal treatment for more than 80 years. Why is the homosexual population now being so publicly scorned for doing the same thing? It seems that discrimination is becoming legally acceptable. In what free society is that okay?

The American Psychological Association has conducted studies that show that homosexuality is inborn. It’s neither a choice nor a mental disorder. Federal and state governments have no right to deny such a basic right as marriage to people just because of the way they were born.

Texans should seize this opportunity to secure the rights of marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Those too young to vote should convince their friends and family to vote against prejudice. Those who are 18 and over can do it themselves. If we deny homosexuals the right to marriage, how long will it be before we deny them the right to vote, own a home or even get a job? After all, aren’t all men and women are created equal?