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I imagine people have been hearing about the same-sex marriage debate all over the world, since the Pope is ticked enough to have denounced the issue....
Not to open a political/religious debate here, I think the problem lies not with the concept, but with the semantics. People the world over TEND to think one thing when they hear the word "marriage": a man and a woman and a union blessed and sanctified by the church - or simply recognised by the state.
Perhaps same-sex marriages could be called something else? After all, the language is constantly coming up with new words to describe new things - and same-sex marriages are a relatively new thing, still.
Can we AWADers leap into the breach and help out a li'l? Anyone got any ideas for a new word to describe what are currently known as same-sex marriages?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Steve and Fred are getting married? How wonderful! Those two are so devoted to each other--and so domestic. I think it's a good match.
I say get rid of the 'same sex' part--and just let 'em get married like anybody else who wants to.
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Carpal Tunnel
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that gets my vote, as well.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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If I ruled the world ...
Any adult couple could enter into a civil union, which would be legally recognised by the state, employers etc., and which would have all the legal and financial benefits (and problems) we now associate with marriage.
Those who wished could then go on to also have the union blessed according to their religion. But that would make no difference as far as their legal and civil rights and obligations to each other. Call that marriage if you want.
As mod-ed says the word marriage is tied up with the religious ceremony in most people's minds. So I'd use the words "civil union" and "marriage" in recognition of that fact. So long as everyone's treated the same under the law, it doesn't really matter what you call it.
Bingley
Bingley
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I amend my vote to include Bingley's common sense. 
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Any adult couple could enter into a civil union
Vermont has done this and it has been interpreted as marriage by all the knee-jerks. And raised questions about Article IV Sect. 1 of the US Constitution:
Article IV
Section 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.
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Carpal Tunnel
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IloVermont! surprisingly, there has been little effort to rescind the Vermont civil unions law. thankfully. of course, there is, and will continue to be, opposition to it, but it's been pretty quiet.
formerly known as etaoin...
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OP
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If I ruled the world ...
Bingley, you made the same point a Catholic priest made t'other day on Canuck tv. It does make sense.
I guess I'm just thinking of the weight of tradition. Somehow, marriage is irrevocably defined in my brain as being something between a man and a woman. Why can't there be a new term for a "marriage" between a man and a man, or a woman and a woman? It is, after all, a new thing - ie, not the same as marriage as we have known it. And language is always growing and changing - it's so elastic, can't it stretch to come up with a new term?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Good concept, mg. It would be nice to have something to set the two apart...(hmm, cogs turning) unless there are some who want the "cover" of being able to say they're married, without revealing the gender of their mate. However, that has nothing to do with your idea. I'm afraid I can't come up with anything other than the mundane: partnering, mating--oops, scratch that one; hey, wait--how 'bout cleaved?
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"Cleaved" is good, except that it can have two meanings, yes?
I wondered about something like "unified"....or "united" maybe. Then the union could be called just that - a union. Except, there's the labour connotation to the word "union."
What about an entirely new word? Something like "homarrige" - combining "homosexual" and "marriage," sounding close to "homage" which is nice....
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