I'll agree it's terminology. And if we could separate the government side, that would be fine. But really, if you need a piece of paper from a judge to say that you're going to have a loving, stable relationship with your partner for many years, there's a problem there.

Should gay partners have power of attorney? Yes, probably. Should they have guardianship? If they want to raise children together, absolutely. Should they have insurance benefits, if possible. And there are already companies which do support that, which is great.

But, as I noted, marraige is something I feel should not be created by a piece of paper, the secular benefits notwithstanding. Marraige, religiously officiated or not, should be something created between the partners, and society would ideally recognize that, but it doesn't, and that is a shame, but that's a problem that I don't think is confined to the gay or straight communities.