"Is Marriage the Path to Liberation?"

The readings for this week were really eye opening to me. They really gave insight into all the rights that gay and lesbian people are denied. The reading by Naples looked into same-sex parenting. This article focused on the political and personal aspects of same-sex marriages and parenting. I don't understand why politicians are trying to keep marriage strictly for heterosexual couples when it is such an institution that provides all types of protection and benefits that everyone despite who your partner is should have rights to. That also ties in with the same-sex FAQ's. I can't believe someone would ask why same-sex couples would even want to get married. In this country and in this society to be married is the highest level you are looked at differently and you are afforded advantages that unmarried people in this society do not have. Many of the benefits you don't even think of as a heterosexual person because you don't have to worry about them like Health insurance and Estate taxes. These things that we take for granted gay and lesbian couples have to worry about everyday. If marriage was purely the ceremony and the words that would be one thing but it's not. It is an institution that allows you to gain certain rights that others do not have and that is where the issues come in. I enjoyed Ettelbrick's article the best that we must change this whole institution of marriage because it add to the devide between "the haves and have-nots". I believe that the liberation of the Gay and Lesbian community is really tied to the Womens movement and essential for the overall liberation of both movements.