I'm Gay But I Think Gay Marriage Is Icky

I smell an opportunist:

The candidate’s opposition to same-sex marriage is based on his belief, which he says has "evolved very recently," that marriage is a religious institution and "part of the heterosexual culture."

"A lot of religious people hold it very sacred," says Maloy. "I think that marriage is something that’s more religious and perhaps should be — perhaps," he emphasizes — "should be separate from the state." Maloy is supportive of offering same-sex couples benefits and protections through civil unions or domestic partnerships. But marriage, says Maloy, "is an institution between a man and a woman and I think that it’s part of the heterosexual culture. I don’t buy the whole separate but equal thing," he adds, a reference to arguments by marriage equality advocates — and the Supreme Judicial Court’s advisory opinion in Goodridge — that creating a separate legal status for same-sex couples is inherently unequal.

This is a very hypocritical stand, especially from someone who is gay. Marriage is both a religious and a civil institution, so he can't cop out and look at it from just a religious point of view.

Now if the state performs civil unions only, treats everyone equally under the eyes of the law and leaves marriage to the churches, then it becomes a purely religious ritual and said churches can call the shots whichever way they want. Until then, marriage should be available to everyone and the state should not be in the business of dictating whom we marry.

No matter how he professes to want equal rights for same sex couples, the reality is they are not treated as such by virtue of being segregated into another category. The term marriage itself is a magic word. Consider immigration, for example. Even in states where same sex civil unions are recognized, a domestic partner is not allowed to petition his foreign partner on a "fiance" visa, because the law says they can't get married.

That is just one scenario; there are many other situations where the very distinction between marriage and civil union/domestic partnership is problematic and unfair. Why should same sex partners wait years for all facets of the law to be changed so they can be entitled to the same rights as married couples when it is more practical, realistic and just to simply allow them to get married? It's about equality under the law. It's as simple as that.

+Save/Share | |