Gov. Pat Quinn on Nov. 20 signed a bill that will allow gay marriage. He signed the bill on the same desk that Abraham Lincoln allegedly wrote the 1861 Inaugural Address, in order to show what an historic moment this was for the entire state. Illinois is now the 16th state to allow gay marriage. The law should go into effect allowing gay marriages by June 1, 2014.

Although the state has taken the first steps to providing gay rights by passing this law, there are still many opposed to gay marriage.

On Illinois Valley Community College’s campus though, it tends to be a pretty indifferent topic.

Austin Freeberg comments, “If they want to, why not [let them]?” In response to the question, “How do you feel about gay marriage?”

Angela Pouk comments, “I don’t want to see the physical components publically, but it is their life; let them live it, but it does disgust me [seeing it in public].”

Quinn will be up for re-election next year when his four- year term expires. This may be one of the last major moves he will make during his term for the Democratic Party. Other Democratic politicians have shown support for gay marriage. This includes Barrack Obama who used his support as part of the platform.

Still, this doesn’t mean that the Republican Party opposes gay marriage. When asked for comment Max Halm remarks, “As President of the IVCC College Republicans, we are firmly in support of gay marriage because the government should stay out of marriage. People should have the option of who to marry, and there should be a small government [interference] across the board.”

This new law will not only affect the students here at IVCC. It will also affect many faculty members. The sponsor for the Gay Straight Alliance club on campus Jason Beyer when speaking about gay marriage observes, “Marriage has always been a civil institution – the act of marriage predates right given by religious institutions… it’s about establishing that basic equality under the law.”

Jean Batson-Turner, the Human Services Program Coordinator at IVCC, also said she is very excited about this development and was part of the first civil union in LaSalle County.