Same-sex marriage in Iowa

[Azisien]

Well if we're talking about reality, it's going to be at least a generation or three before discrimination tones down.

I mean honestly, you think fully legalized marriage for all would just suddenly stop discrimination where civil unions wouldn't?

The other day I was helping a customer rent some movies, and among them was Milk (movie 'bout first openly gay elected official in US, starring Sean Penn, I'm sure you've heard of it). The man turns to his wife and says, "Hey, this is that movie about the fags. I don't want to watch a movie about fags."

Yeah. Legalized marriage will do nothing to end that. For a few decades.

[Nique]

"Hey, this is that movie about the fags. I don't want to watch a movie about fags."

I think that this was the bulk of someone's review of that movie.

In anycase, even if people's personal feelings about homosexuality never really change, their notions about forcing people to do or not do things probably should.

[Archbio]

There's a rather large practical problem, in addition to the fact that I think that it's just plain unacceptable, with creating a separate institution: it makes easier for the two statuses to grow unequal down the road.

[Marelo]

What Archbio said.

I'm not saying that discrimination would just disappear overnight if we just gave gay people marriage, as opposed to a "separate but equal" institution. I'm saying that it becomes a lot harder to actually, tangibly discriminate when they have the exact same marriage license as straight couples. It becomes a lot harder to justify making differences between the two.

[bluestarultor]

I think France has a good idea that would mesh well with this. The place is 99% Catholic, but the state doesn't recognize religious unions. For that, you need a civil union issued by a judge. That means you can be religiously married and get no benefits, or legally married with no religious recognition. Most couples, of course, do both. Or at least the straight ones. I really have no idea on their policies for same-sex couples.

Edit: I wish this would happen here in Wisconsin, but the Constitutional amendment banning it and anything remotely similar passed by a landslide. I'm really ashamed of my state for that, because you'd think people would be reasonable about these kinds of things. Unfortunately, the state is populated by the Religious Right, so you can't even drive a mile (literally) without seeing either a billboard ad trying to pull people into some religious group or one spouting crap about abortion. My area has more of those than actual ads for products. If the question comes up again, I'm sure the town will be plastered with signs denouncing gays.

[Wigmund]

Originally Posted by bluestarultor

I think France has a good idea that would mesh well with this. The place is 99% Catholic, but the state doesn't recognize religious unions. For that, you need a civil union issued by a judge. That means you can be religiously married and get no benefits, or legally married with no religious recognition. Most couples, of course, do both. Or at least the straight ones. I really have no idea on their policies for same-sex couples.

This, this is what I want to see in America.

[Nique]

Doesn't France have the highest population of people who identify themselves as Atheist per capita?

[Mike McC]

Originally Posted by bluestarultor

I think France has a good idea that would mesh well with this. The place is 99% Catholic, but the state doesn't recognize religious unions. For that, you need a civil union issued by a judge. That means you can be religiously married and get no benefits, or legally married with no religious recognition. Most couples, of course, do both. Or at least the straight ones. I really have no idea on their policies for same-sex couples.

That really isn't that far removed from what we do here. I mean, you can have a wedding ceremony and a priest and all that, but if you don't get the official government sanctioned certificate filled out it's worthless. All the preist does is act like a notary public, just sorta goes... yep, everything is in order here. Only difference is that there only judges (or whatever) can officiate, and not ministers/priests/rabbis/other holy men.

[Premmy]

and ship captains, but yeah, france seems to have the right idea there.

Doesn't France have the highest population of people who identify themselves as Atheist per capita?

maybe, I dont know, what does that have to do with this?
(to be fair I have a vague idea of what you might be getting at, but I need clarification)

[Nique]

Oh the whole being 99% Catholic thing.