'Til The Cows Come Home

I Do(n't)

While I'm on a political rant I'll answer another question I'm often asked:  Will K. and I get married?
 
The answer to this question is no. 
 
Listen, we're not anti-gay marriage.  I'd like to see gay marriage become recognized not just on the state level but by the federal government as well.  But for me, personally, it has little do with marriage and everything to do with equal rights.  Gays and lesbians ought to have the same basic rights as everyone else, and that includes marriage.  I simply cannot understand the people out there who cry that gay marriage will demean the institution of marriage itself.  We've all read the argument a thousand times over:  How will two men or two women getting married personally threaten your heterosexual marriage?  How will it make your marriage less of a marriage?  How will it lessen the strength of your nuclear-hetero family's relationship?  Why does calling it something besides "marriage" so that we don't make straight married people feel infringed upon make it less discriminatory?  Blah blah blah.  I bring nothing new to the table in regards to this debate.
 
I have always felt that one of the perks of being gay, aside from the great wardrobe, is that we couldn't get married.  Therefore, we wouldn't be under any societal expectations to move things to the next level and can let our relationships unfold in a more stress-free way.  Now, I've seen plenty of amazing marriages in my life (my parents, my brother and his wife, Jenn and her Army husband) but I've also seen enough bitter divorces (K.'s parents, my sister and her ex-husband) to see how destructive being tied together legally and financially can be.  K. and I are comfortable where we are.  We have all of the emotional perks of marriage and a long-term relationship without the need to feel as if we have to matrimonially seal the deal simply because "that's what you do next", which in my personal opinion is a big reason why so many straight marriages start out doomed from the beginning.
 
So, to sum up:  Equality = YAY.  Marriage = Not For Us.  We're happy and in love just as much as any other married couple, just minus the registry (which, while tempting, isn't enough reason to tie the knot...until it's time for a new china set, at least).  That doesn't mean we won't change our minds at some point.  It's nice just to have the equal opportunity.