[Converse]

Originally Posted by TenderKnight

Good topic.. You know, I have a lot of issues with Marriege anyway.. and the way that it has all panned out so far in the press and within the GLBT community, at least here in CA.

Do I think that GLBTQ folks should be held to a higher standard, no.. As others have stated, we are all humans and sometimes, shit happens. I don't think that just because one breaks up they aren't required to go through legal procedures, if they are together for an extended amount of time.

Blah.. I disagree with the whole *legal* thing anyway.. Are the folks fighting for gay marriege fighting for recognition as equal citizens, or are they fighting for the legal rights that straight folks get? *sighs* I'm not sure I'm even making sense, and I think that my beef needs it's own thread, lol.. Maybe I will start one.. In any case, I get what you mean about this example.. It seems to me that Melissa wants the best of both worlds.. The status of being MARRIED and the ease of just leaving when she wants without having to end the marrage.

I have no knowledge of the Etheridge situation (I only recently discovered that Ellen and Heche broke up, and that Madonna and Sean Penn are no longer an item), so I’m not the person to go to for commentary on celebratory happenings, but I do have very strong views on same-sex marriage.

I’m one of the fortunate ones whose marriage is legally recognized. I live in Canada. And for every one of those who has ever argued that the fight to have this happen is not important- I will be the most vocal in saying that they are wrong. Every form we fill in- the spouse column is always completed, a recent trip to the hospital meant that my voice was heard when seeking treatment for my wife who was too sick to speak for herself; my opinion is not disregarded by third parties when they only have her name as a contact and she’s not available. Because the law recognizes our relationship- regardless of any internal phobias, everyone who deals with us must also recognize it. Those who once used “Special friend” or any other words to describe our relationship can no longer do so without the embarrassment of being factually corrected.

To be able to enjoy all that is associated with being legally married, one has to understand that with that comes responsibility, including any consequences that are associated with divorce. The situation that SuperFemme is talking about seems like yet another sad example of why the fight for recognition of same sex marriages must be fought.

Separate to that I can not comment on the ethical way that Etheridge appears to have handled the break-up, but at face value this behaviour seems like a comment on her character- and something I hope any one considering a future with her pays special attention to. Something about a leopard not being able to change their spots…