letters

A few years ago, I surveyed employees on job-satisfaction issues for a major local employer. Results showed that gay employees, all self-identified and anonymous in the research, felt less job satisfaction and commonly yearned for two things: 1) to feel comfortable keeping a photo of their loved one on their desk, and 2) to engage more, with coworkers, in casual chitchat, such as being asked what they had done the past weekend or planned to do the next one.

Small markers of everyday acceptance that most take for granted. While I sense that things may have improved since, Minnesotans face a step backward this fall. In November, we are asked to vote on a constitutional amendment that would limit the freedom to marry, and hit hard at great numbers of our coworkers, family and friends.

It would perpetuate feelings of division and keep far too many still yearning for a feeling of full acceptance. We can be better than that. My husband and I soon will have been married for 40 years. And, as he says, so far, so good. Neither of us can imagine the outrage we would feel if denied freedom to marry the one we loved. Many community leaders have spoken out against this amendment. I join them in asking you to vote "no."

RANDI LUOTO, EDINA