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Old 03-17-2005, 03:04 PM   #32 (permalink)
Gilda
32 flavors and then some
 
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Location: Out on a wire.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nofnway
what is the purpose of marriage..Doesn't it promote the stability of society...those families sticking together to raise their kids and all.
It's not about the kids is it....

Is it about the money maybe...visiting in the hospital...The taxes? Marrieds pay higher taxes....Can't all of the problems Gay "Marriage" be overcome in other contractual ways.... What is the true essence of the debate? What do we gain with this change?

I don't care who you love....thats between you and them

What do gays want here? What are they lacking?
I can only speak for myself, but I think what I want is quite similar to what many other gays and lesbians want. I want the same things a hetero couple want from their marriage. I want to be able to join with my SO spiritually and legally, and have that union officially recognized by the law. I want to be able to take her name as my own as a matter of course. I want to be her legal next of kin, able to make medical and legal decisions on her behalf if she becomes unable to do so. I want our children, whether concieved and carried by one of us or adopted, to be our children, belonging to both of us, with all of the legal protections a parent and child have in that relationship. I want to be able to list her as my spouse on loan applications, property titles, rental agreements, etc., and be her presumed heir and she mine.

And I want to be able to say I am married to her. I understand that this is not true of all people, and I will not demean people who are happy in their relationships without the legal or religious sanction of marriage, but for me, being married says something about our relationship that being in a monogamous long term relationship does not. "Married" says something to me that "in a civil union" does not. This isn't to say that I'm not going to object to putting into effect "civil unions" that are the seme in all but name as a marriage; but if you're going to do that, why give it a different name? I'd be happy as a clam with that, being able to enter into a civil union with my lifemate. I'd still refer to our relationship in common usage as being married, though, regardless of the legal term for it.

In short, I want to be treated equally. I want my children to grow up in a family with two married parents
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