Kim Kardashian shocked millions of her fans when she announced her marriage to Kris Humphries was over.
The couple was together for merely 72 days before calling it off, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for splitting.
Many public figures spoke out on the reality TV star’s divorce, saying the barely three-month marriage destroyed the “sanctity of marriage.” The outcry came mainly from LGBT rights organizations. Critics of same-sex marriage have previously claimed allowing gay couples to wed would tarnish traditional matrimony.
Fernando Lopez, a San Diego marriage equality activist involved with multiple groups, said the situation aggravated the LGBT community.
“The outrage is derived from the hypocrisy of denying a group their right to marry, when others have this short-term, cavalier approach to a serious commitment,” he said. “I know lesbian and gay couples who have shared decades of their lives together.”
Lopez said that as a gay man it’s frustrating to be denied legal rights while others, such as Kardashian, can easily access marriage rights.
Member of the steering committee for the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality Sean Bohac said in this instance, the “sanctity of marriage” has become a wasted term.
“[The LGBT community] doesn’t think of marriage as a tradition that we’re familiar with, we’ve been excluded from it for such a long time,” he said.
For others, the frustration served as a reminder to continue fighting for marriage equality.
“Kardashian’s marriage doesn’t affect my life … she’s free to marry as she sees fit,” said Stephen Whitburn, a long-time LGBT advocate in San Diego. “Those of us who are gay want the same opportunity, hopefully one with a better outcome.”
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