Let's Drop the Word 'Marriage'
What we really want is equal rights, so why fight over what to call it?

By John Shields
Wednesday, December 24, 2008

http://nyblade.com/2008/12-24/viewpoint/opinion/1252OpinionMarriageName.cfm

"WHAT DO WE want?"...
"Equal rights!"
"When do we want it?"...
"Now!"

These were the chants I was leading to a large crowd of protesters in West Hollywood in 1991. On that autumn day nearly 20 years ago, California Gov. Pete Wilson vetoed AB101, the California Assembly bill that would have prohibited most discrimination based on sexual orientation, prompting a week of protests directed at the Republican governor across the Golden State.

Meanwhile, after nearly 15 years, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)is continuing its slow march toward passage in Washington, DC, as is a hate crimes bill including sexual orientation. These two bills will do more for the entire LGBTQ community than any single legislative, judicial or voter approved action regarding the term "marriage" in any one state.

And yet, same-sex marriage, specifically Proposition 8, continues to be the elephant in the room. This has to stop. This war of words between "straight marriage" and "gay marriage" must end. There is no adjective when it comes to the word "marriage." And that single polarizing word threatens to set back federal LGBTQ legislation on matters of life and death, employment and housing and hate crimes for every American in every corner of our country.

 :)I agree to a large degree. If dropping the word will satisfy the 'straight' world, and get all our constitutionaly agreed on civil rights, by all means, drop the word. But, well that solve the problems for the TG's. We move about the world in our reassigned selves, we meet, greet, fall in love and - what - go straight to a lawyers office to sign a contract?  I've been married 3 times, once by a judge (poor guy [that one made headline news]), once by a JP, and once by a minister friend who knew only that I was a guy he worked with. Did we dupe these guys, 'Yes', sayth Washington. 'No,' says me. Me and my bride did what every American couple do. We got married and enjoyed the fruits and respect given to a married couple as well as the benefits of the legal status of partners. 

I Hugely disagree....

I am a woman, i will marry a man one day, not form a civil partnership. I will be his wife, and he will be my husband, not partner of a partner. I'm all for the rights of gay people to marry, but how DARE people suggest that we give up a time honoured tradition accross many faiths because its not politically correct to have a straight relationship anymore. Im sorry, the article comes accross like a petulant  spiteful child... 'If we cant have it, you cant either!'
Over my dead body.

Quote from: Kristian on January 10, 2009, 11:03:53 AM
If dropping the word will satisfy the 'straight' world, and get all our constitutionaly agreed on civil rights, by all means, drop the word.

But it won't. Those civil rights are all granted to "married people." If you do not use the word "marriage," you will not gain the rights.

With respect to Rachael, in the UK trans women have the right to marry EXACTLY as do hetero couples. 

The official presiding the ceremony (priest or registrar) need not even know the trans woman's status.  This is because the Gender Recognition Act gives us the right to a female birth certificate and full recognition as female in law.

Of course there are qualifiers in getting your Gender Recognition Certificate (like 2 year period living"in role", medical reports, but not per-se surgery).

This does not have seemed to have caused any public or moral outrage.

As for gay people, they can form "civil partnerships" which are all but marriages except in name (same rights are conferred).

Even though most people see this as gay marriage, not calling it marriage seems to keep the religious bigots happy !

Laura x

Quote from: Laura Eva B on January 10, 2009, 07:21:50 PM
Even though most people see this as gay marriage, not calling it marriage seems to keep the religious bigots happy !

Sadly, the bigots in this country want to do more than deny the word. They also want to deny the underlying rights.

Quote from: Lisbeth on January 12, 2009, 07:13:36 AM

Quote from: Laura Eva B on January 10, 2009, 07:21:50 PM
Even though most people see this as gay marriage, not calling it marriage seems to keep the religious bigots happy !

Sadly, the bigots in this country want to do more than deny the word. They also want to deny the underlying rights.

Not to mention denying our existence completely.

Z

So if you cant have the word Marriage, nobody can?