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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Freedom to Marry Doesn't Always Mean Marriage Equality

[I'm bumping up this entry because Maryland finally has the limited same-gender freedom to marry and I see many reports about how it is "marriage equality." What you see below was originally posted on February 13, 2011. Again, Maryland now has the limited same-gender freedom to marry as of TODAY!]

Maryland is one of the US states currently debating the implementation of the freedom to same-sex marriage. Some people refer to this as marriage equality, as seen in this blog...
So, the Maryland Senate is discussing a bill for marriage equality.

Or here at this Patch article, "Councilman Testifies for Marriage Equality"...

"Right now, because marriage equality is already in effect just down the road in the District of Columbia, countless dollars are being diverted away from Maryland, to Washington D.C.'s hotels, restaurants, ballrooms, flourists [stet], caterers, tailors -- not to mention all the attorneys, accountants, financial planners, and others who provide services to couples after they are married. Right now, many of our businesses are losing a critical sector of clientele, and in the process, we are not preventing anyone who wants to get married from doing so. So many of our businesses are missing out on a tremendous opportunity, because of a legal roadblock that - years from now - will seem like an antiquated notion."

And believe it or not, you can also see an example of this at RationalSkepticism.org...

It looks like Maryland is going to be the next state to offer full marriage equality for its citizens.

I disagree with this phrasing. Full marriage equality would mean that all marriages are legal and recognized; that any adult can marry any consenting adult(s). It's not equality if it is only "equality for some." It will be great if Maryland will move towards full marriage equality by adding another freedom to marry; the same-sex freedom to marry. But I do make the distinction between a freedom to marry, such as the right to same-sex marriage or the right to consanguineous marriage, and when we will have all freedoms to marry; full marriage equality. Let's keep the momentum going!
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