not so drunk... just pensive

is it fair for the leaders of the lgbt movement to expect me to fight with all of my heart for the institution we commonly know as marriage? it is nearly impossible for me to put all of my passion into a fight that i don't even agree with. of course, i agree that lgbt persons deserve all of the same rights as straight people. however, marriage is one of those things that should be changed at the root. this shouldn't be done just for same-sex couples, but for any couple who does not believe in tying their relationship by the will of god. if i were to, one day, find a man who i found to be completely amazing and beautiful and fabulous and was somehow physically, emotionally, and sexually attracted to him, i would still not marry him. i should be able to receive the benefits that he has from his job and he should be able to come see me in the hospital when i am ill. these should not be rights given to me by a religious diety. so how can i possibly give everything to the fight for marraige equality when the root of the problem is so much deeper? there should be partner-benefit equality for all. this should not have to come from god.

i understand that the most influencial thing to fight for in terms of the lgbt community is something that is provided on a federal level. however, the things that matter to me are smaller, closer-to-home things. i want my children to be taught about love, not man+woman+children=family, i want them to feel safe in schools and not be afraid of bullying because they have two mommies. i want hate crimes to be identified differently than other violent crimes in my home state of michigan. and i want to not face discrimination in the workplace. how can i convince the head-honchos of the lgbt movement that these are the issues important to me and that these are the things we should be coming together and fighting for? i can't. so i have to keep going on the track of fighting for marriage with hopes that the eventual results will trickle down to helping me and my family in our struggle for equality.