The limits of marriage equality

The ink isn't dry on the coverage of this week's Supreme Court arguments (okay-there isn't so much ink anymore as digital transmission, but it's a metaphor that still appeals to me).  Still, I'm not willing to leave for long the critiques of the fight for access to marriage that I, and others, have been making for several years.  Here is a particularly concise and insightful one from Scot Nakagawa.  Some of his critical points:  marriage is such a powerful draw because it excludes, so we should think hard about those who are excluded.  Monogamous same-sex couples are the new "model minority" so they are in; still out are a whole lot of other people who should not suffer discrimination.  If gay people win by arguing "we are just like you," then the conservative agenda remains in place, including laws and policies that oppress many family structures.  Anyway, read his piece.

While you're at it, here is a Salon profile of me.  And check out the organization Unmarried Equality, the group formerly known as the Alternatives to Marriage Project, and consider signing their petition to get the American Academy of Pediatrics to change its reasoning for supporting same-sex marriage.  You can read and sign the petition here.  I signed it, but I am not sure why they singled out this one group, when almost every group that expresses support for marriage equality argues that it is good for children and, simultaneously, in subtle or less subtle ways, disrespects and disparages parenting outside of marriage.  I refused to sign on to an amicus brief in the Supreme Court cases that had a couple of sentences to that effect.