Marriage for all or marriage for none?

Ettelbrick’s article about gay marriage showed me a different side to marriage equality that I have never seen before. Today, allowing same-sex marriage is an extremely controversial and important topic that is being handled state-by-state and progressing every day. I think the approach taken by Ettelbrick was a very strong one, especially coming from a lesbian woman herself. She argues that while lesbians and gay men should absolutely have the right to get marriage if they so choose, allowing them or urging them to get married will become a way to mainstream them and make them more invisible to others. In her opinion, getting married takes away some of her freedoms and gives the state more control over her life.

Taking a step back away from same-sex marriage, Ettelbrick makes an overarching statement about marriage as an institution, no matter who is involved. She disagrees with the benefits that a married couple receives compared to their non-married friends. Single people who do not want to get married are instantly disadvantaged on so many levels. Taxes are an incredible burden that favors married couples. Just because a person does not want to get married, does not mean that they should have to pay a proportionally higher amount of taxes, Ettelbrick would believe. Ettelbrick brings ups the fight for universal validation and acceptance of domestic partnerships. I think this would be a great thing for this country because it would provide more equality between all people. A domestic partnership does not have any requirements, but would allow any type of relationship to categorize themselves as “partners” and give more equal rights.

I think another great thing about this article is the mention of race. We have discussed race throughout the semester, but it is a constant thought of mine when reading a new article. If race is not mentioned, I might notice and wonder how race plays a role, but I always notice when it is has a particular section in a text. I think including factors such as race, class, age, etc. gives a much broader argument while also specifying particular sections giving them more detail and focus. Adding an element like race can bring an argument to the next level.