ESPA Busts The Myths Surrounding Same-Sex Marriage

Although the words "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are written into the Declaration of Independence, achieving those realities have always required hard-fought battles within our society. It is still the case today, as GLBT advocates push for marriage equality so that every couple can have the same rights under the law, no matter if they are gay or straight. There are many obstacles (judicial, legislative) in the path to this goal, and they stem from ignorance that shape people's attitudes about what gay marriage is and isn't. So the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) decided to help, and bust through a few common myths that some straight people hold about their gay neighbors.

From ESPA:

• Same-sex couples in New York can get the protections they need for their families without marriage.
• Civil unions and domestic partnerships are the same as marriage.
• If the state allows same-sex couples to marry, religious institutions’ freedom will be threatened.
• Marriage as an institution has remained the same for millennia.
• New York does not have same-sex couples who are legally married.
• The people of New York and their elected representatives are against marriage being extended to same-sex couples.
• Legalizing marriage for same-sex couples will hurt children and force them to be taught about it in early grade school.
• Allowing same-sex couples to marry will cost the state money.

• It is wrong to equate same-sex marriage with the legal marriage between a man and a woman.

There is so much important information in there, so if you still have your doubts about supporting this equal rights agenda please browse through. Gay couples have more than a thousand less rights than straight married couples. Civil unions are also not the same as marriage, just as the separate-but-equal rulings of the past were found to be unequal. So go ahead and click the links above if you agree with any of those statements, or if you know someone else that still thinks that way.