shimmer

Too Good for Marriage

By KENJI YOSHINO
Published: July 14, 2006

LAST week, New York’s highest court voted 4-to-2 that a legislative ban on same-sex marriage did not violate the state Constitution. In doing so, it added to the patchwork of state rulings on the issue, including those of Indiana and Arizona (which similarly upheld legislative bans) and Massachusetts (which struck down a legislative ban).

What’s noteworthy about the New York decision, however, is that it became the second ruling by a state high court to assert a startling rationale for prohibiting same-sex marriage — that straight couples may be less stable parents than their gay counterparts and consequently require the benefits of marriage to assist them. (click the title above to read the whole editorial)

Naturally, it pains me that the court struck down gay marriage. But what interesting reasoning.... In this opinion piece, Yoshino eventually concludes that this reasoning is given because it just sounds better. You know, less bigoted. I agree. Because since when do we give special rights to people for being unstable, immature, or otherwise unfit? You know, "special rights," like the "special rights" anti-gay bigots are always accusing glbt folks of wanting.

I think this decision is really quite a stretch. It has become increasingly clear that there is just no good reason for denying gays the right to marry. Our marriage laws clearly violate the civil and human rights of gay people. They should be changed at once. It's that simple.

Posted by Jean on Friday, July 14, 2006 at 1:41 PM | Permalink