As a recent college graduate and proud Morgan State alumna who served as president of our campus' Gay-Straight Alliance, I have found that many people in Baltimore are supportive of others, no matter what their sexual orientation. I hope that the state legislature does the right thing and votes for House Bill 175, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.

It's the job of our elected officials to vote for their constituents and not for their disapproval of people's differences. Like many of you, after college I wanted to find a job, buy a house and get married; but unfortunately, I can't accomplish that last one. But not from the lack of having a loving and committed partner who wants to share her life with me. I have that, but Maryland won't recognize us.

Now is the time for all loving and committed couples, like the one I'm a part of, to stop being excluded from marriage. Now's the time to pass this bill into law.

Vanessa Bowling, Baltimore