Semantics of Marriage

Unfogged has a very interesting article on the semantics of marriage, and why the idea of gay marriage may stick in the craw of many heterosexuals.

The article seems to hit the nail on the head. The phrase 'I'm married' reinforces heterosexual identity. At the heart of it gay marriage, while not necessarily viewed as repellent by the majority, would threaten the identities of millions of straight people.

While I think that semantics shouldn't be a valid argument as to why two gay men or women shouldn't have their union recognised by the state, I can see the point. Identity, a sense of belonging to a group, is possibly one of the most fundamental aspects of personality. To have millions of people suddenly denied a part of their personality may have psychological consequences we can't predict.

Or, you know, we're all making a big thing out of nothing, and should all just shut up and let them get on with it.