Will Marriage Equality Make 'The Gays' Boring?

While some may fear that same-sex couples will become as “boring” as male-female partners in “traditional marriages” when same-sex marriage becomes a federally recognized right, for many LGBTQ people, having access to the same freedoms heterosexual couples enjoy is more important than being a “fabulous” accessory-like a gay best friend.

In an article for the Daily Beast, Megan McArdle wrote:

“Once gays can marry, they’ll be expected to marry. And to buy sensible, boring cars that are good for car seats…You thought the fifties were conformist? Wait until all those fabulous ‘confirmed bachelors’ and maiden schoolteachers are expected to ditch their cute little one-bedrooms and join the rest of America in whining about crab grass, HOA restrictions, and the outrageous fees that schools want to charge for overnight soccer trips.”

As mentioned in Steven Thrasher’s piece for Gawker, the same-sex marriage equality movement faces many obstacles, some as basic as positioning the narrative of LGBT relationships. He said:

“The public stories focus on the universal experiences of straights and gays, while the private ones touch on the particular gay experience of sex. These latter stories—so integral to how gay men relate to each other, are left out of the conversation about gay marriage, by and large. Where straight unions idealize fidelity, gay men’s version of a lifelong commitment doesn’t necessarily include forsaking all others.”

Panelists Charles Joughin (HRC Deputy Press Secretary), Michael Luongo (LGBT journalist) and Amy Stretten (Fusion National Affairs Correspondent) weighed in.