Come to my window, or should we say go away from my window. Rocker Melissa Etheridge and her partner of nine years Tammy ( Lynn Michaels ) Etheridge are going their separate ways. In a statement to People Melissa’s rep stated:
“Melissa and Tammy Etheridge are saddened to announce that they are now separated. We ask for consideration and respect for our family as we go through this difficult period.”
Tammy is the mother of the couple’s two children, son Miller and daughter Johnnie Rose. The couple were married in 2003 as part of “ABC’s InStyle Celebrity Weddings”. Melissa Etheridge has been a long time vocal proponent of same-sex marriage, even though she and Tammy never officially got hitched after California overturned its ban on same sex marriage in 2008.
Here is a clip from that ABC special explaining all about their commitment ceremony. You can tell the two were very much in love.
Melissa stated that she would refuse to pay state taxes as a sign of civil disobedience when California changed course with Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages. Don’t our elected officials have something better to do than waste time with denying same-sex couples their civil rights? Hard to believe that in 2010 America this is still an issue.
In 2008 Melissa supported President Obama’s decision to allow gay marriage opponent Rick Warren to speak at the inauguration. In a column in the Huffington Post she stated:
“Sure, there are plenty of hateful people who will always hold on to their bigotry like a child to a blanket. But there are also good people out there, Christian and otherwise that are beginning to listen.”
It’s a little sad to see these two split up, their relationship symbolized something very deep and meaningful to a great many people. I hope they both find what they’re looking for in the future and when they do that America will grant them the legal rights they deserve as citizens.
