A majority of the media attention is placed on whether same sex couples can get married. However, there has been significant progress in granting same sex couples health and other benefits in courtrooms and legislature. In Congress last week, a House committee approved legislation that would provide benefits, including health insurance, retirement and disability, to same-sex partners of federal employees. (read more about specific examples in the link embedding in the title.) Even one of the most prominent opponents of same-sex marriage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has shown willingness to support rights outside of marriage, by backing a Salt Lake City law prohibiting housing and employment discrimination against gays. However, voters in Maine repealed the state law that allowed same sex couples to wed.
It's enlightening to see that we've made progress in gay rights. However, I don't understand why so many people want to prohibit an official marriage. In Washington state, voters recently endorsed an "everything but marriage" bill that expands domestic partnership rights to lesbians, gays and unmarried elderly couples. See, I don't understand the point of that at all. It seems so strange that 57 percent of Americans oppose granting same-sex marriages legal status, but the same poll found that 67 percent would grant them access to health insurance and other benefits. Would anybody from this ten percent care to explain to me this?
Open Thread: Big Talk Butters No Parsnips
1 week ago
