Okay, so I’ve got some time to kill*and nothing much to say for myself so I pulled a number out of the thirty days of truth hat**
The number I picked was number 18 which is proof positive that you should never, ever, put your trust in random selections. Random selections mean that you end up with one of the most difficult things to start with – at least as far as thirty days of truth is concerned…..
Day 18 is ‘your thoughts on gay marriage’
My views on gay marriage are straightforward and can be summarised thusly: ‘so what?’ Sadly, some people who aren’t gay get all upset about gay marriage and think that it’s a good idea to make sure that people of the same sex can’t get married to each other.
I can’t quite understand why it matters so much who complete strangers get married to. Who complete strangers get married to is of no consequence to anyone apart from the complete strangers, surely? I can just about understand that somebody might oppose gay marriage. But they can make their opposition perfectly clear by not marrying somebody of the same sex. That’s it. The end. Or is it just me?
I guess we have to get to the bottom of what marriage means in the modern world to get to the bottom of my thinking on this. Once upon a time marriage was a symbolic ceremony in which people had their union recognised in the eyes of God. It isn’t that anymore and I know that because ALL of my friends have been married in church yet only TWO of my friends would describe themselves as religious. Marriage has moved on. In the same way that views about slavery, or women, or people with disabilities have moved on.
Marriage is a choice that two people make. It’s a promise they make, in front of the people that matter the most to them. It’s a promise to stay by someone’s side come what may. It’s a promise between the two people who decide they feel able to make that promise and everybody else needs to butt out and let love be. It’s a promise that we should all be free to make – whoever we happen to be, or whoever we happen to fall in love with.
So there you have my views on gay marriage. Essentially I don’t care – and that can be seen as ‘controversial’. Humans are ridiculous sometimes. I hope that doesn’t offend anybody. I’m just saying, y’know?
Lots of love from WeeGee xx
*Between today’s activities and Dr Who. I’m a geek. I know
**I actually pulled it out of an envelope but a hat sounded better
How do you eat an elephant? 
Hahaha. Oh dear WeeGee, your posts really crack me up, and this one is no exception.
“I can’t quite understand why it matters so much who complete strangers get married to. Who complete strangers get married to is of no consequence to anyone apart from the complete strangers, surely? I can just about understand that somebody might oppose gay marriage. But they can make their opposition perfectly clear by not marrying somebody of the same sex. That’s it. The end. Or is it just me?”
This is a great paragraph, probably my favorite of the whole thing. So so true. If you oppose gay marriage, don’t marry anyone of the same sex! Haha. Love it.
I do wish that I could get married. Not to say that I even want to get married. I just want that right, the same right that everyone else in straight relationships have. Is that really too much to ask? Would we be really “taking any other peoples rights” by being given this right? Please. How would me marrying my partner ruin the “sanctity” of marriage. As if marriage is such a precious thing that everyone who does it holds into it forever…
Ugh. Sorry there I go with getting passionate and all that. I really meant not to in my response!
Well there you have it. Can you tell my view on gay marriage? Lol
(Ps I hate that people even call it “gay marriage”. It should simply be “marriage”. Or marriage between gay people. Or marriage between same sex partners. Not “gay marriage” or “same-sex marriage.” Even that right there infers its a different “kind” of marriage than “traditional marriage” – which is a bogus idea anyway.)
I agree that it’s odd we feel the need to say ‘gay marriage’. It feels like the last acceptable form of discrimination to me. Here in the UK we have civil partnerships – a bit like marriage without the same legal rights. It’s bonkers.
PS – hearing your views on gay marriage loud and clear 😀
“I agree that it’s odd we feel the need to say ‘gay marriage’. It feels like the last acceptable form of discrimination to me.”
Precisely.
“Here in the UK we have civil partnerships – a bit like marriage without the same legal rights. It’s bonkers.”
Here in the US, the degree of rights same sex partners are allowed varies on a state by state basis. Some states offer *no* rights to same sex partners, others offer “civil unions” that provide some benefits, others offer “domestic partnerships” whose benefits vary from state to state, and then a few states actually offer marriage rights to same sex couples (I believe there are four or five states who allow marriage). However, the federal government doesn’t recognize those marriages, so you can’t for example file your federal taxes together (even though you can file your state taxes jointly). It’s all a big confusing mess if you ask me. In my state, they offer domestic partnerships which they *claim* is the equivilant to marriage as far as rights are concerned. This is erroneous. Because the federal government doesn’t recognize these marriages, the extent of the rights is extremely limited. In provides some protections – for example, you can visit your domestic partner in the hospital – but there are many rights that aren’t included. I cannot be covered under my partners health insurance plan for example. Nor do we have the option of filing our federal taxes jointly, thus preventing us from saving thousands of dollars in taxes per year. Also, if my partner dies, I would not receive any of her social security benefits. And the list goes on and on.
So imho, no there shouldn’t be a separate category just for us gays. Separate but equal. Not really, right? Just allow marriage for all. It seems that would solve the problem once and for all wouldn’t it. The problem isn’t *allowing* gay people to get married, it’s *not* allowing gay people to get married.
Another thing I wanted to add (while I’m on my soap box lol) is that marriage should be extended to gays and lesbians, because (gasp) there are gay and lesbian persons out there who are religious, and therefore the idea of being married before the eyes of God is a meaningful one. No one seems to think about this when wanting to deny gays and lesbians this right. They just say, “just give them domestic partnerships and they can have the same rights. They don’t need *marriage*!” Even if it did have the same rights, it would always been seen as an inferior option, because we are being denied something that is considered meaningful to many. Including gays and lesbians.
Okay, I’m climbing off my soapbox now! 😀
(maybe I should start with day 18 haha)
Well, someone once told me we’d be going the way of Sodom if gay marriage were legalized.
Of course, I agree with you. I don’t really care. Oh, and I’ve got to catch up on Dr. Who, too . . . gots to find the time.
I always manage to find time for Dr Who somehow!
My feelings exactly… if gay people want to get married, why not?! I don’t think anyone should have the right to say two people can’t get married just because they’re the same gender! Nice post WeeGee xx
Thanks ellie! Xx
I don’t think our points are at all related! Yours is that marriage should be redefined, and mine is that the new alternative called civil partnerships would be easy to change, if change is wanted.
No your right I didn’t say that well!
If civil partnerships were afforded the same legal status as marriage there would be no difference between the two? The only thing missing would be the eyes of god and it seems to me that rather alot of people get married in the eyes of god without believing that god exists…..
I think what I’m saying is that whatever you call it it boils down to the same promise at the end of the day. Why not call it the same thing?
Calling all formal unions ‘marriage’ has a tidy feel to it, but I think it would cause far more problems than people imagine. Religions know for example that if they decline to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples they will be accused of being horrible discriminatory bigots! Can you imagine your local mosque’s reaction? It’s a huge can of worms really.
I suppose so. But I’m kinda back where I started wondering why gay people getting married really matters to people who aren’t gay.
Same sexarriage is clearly threatening to some. Why that should be so is one of life’s little mystery questions.
ya us humans can be so mean and judgmental. what others do it their business.
Here here. Or is it hear hear?! No matter, you know what I mean xx
lol i think it’s here here, but i’m not judging 😉
Marriage has long been understood to be the union of one man with one woman, and I think there is an argument that one shouldn’t try to change such fundamental definitions. If the union of two people of the same gender can be regarded as marriage, why not then the union of three people, or two siblings perhaps? It’s arguable that civil partnerships should suffice for the purpose of giving legal force to a union and perhaps these could be beefed up so that they are the full equivalent of marriage at least in terms of the law. One could widen partnerships so that a woman (or man) could have multiple civil partners, but maybe one wouldn’t not want to allow siblings or other incestuous relationships to be recognised. Beefing up partnerships would leave marriage for those couples as want it and qualify for its terms (ie a man and a woman). How about that?
That was kinda my point. Marriage has long been understood to be one thing, but then progress came along and the world moved on? As I said, it really doesn’t matter to me who marries who so long as it’s all consensual. Maybe it’s the word marriage that’s wrong? Or maybe we need to accept that things change. I don’t know xx
http://sailorcarrie.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/thirty-days-of-truth-day-eighteen-marriage/ You know when we are in each others brains?…… xox
Hahaha. Hello my old friend – where have you been? xx
I’ve been meh-ing around because I felt meh all week and too tired to read or write after work. Hopefully this week will be different 😉 xox
Well. Welcome back lovely. xxx