Thoughts on the Term "Marriage Equality"

submitted by mvmlego from self.Bisexuals

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[–]BiHorror 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Eh, I'm personally fine with both but you do have a point with:

Forty or fifty years ago, "marriage equality" would probably be taken to mean the legalization of interracial marriages. In another decade or two, it will probably be taken to mean the legalization of polygamous marriages

Although, I do think it depends on the context. If I'm reading this correctly, if we're on the discussion of LGB then I think it would be fine to say "marriage equality." But, if we were just talking about anything and brought up marriage equality, then it could be confusing since it could mean anything! Are we talking issues relating to same sex marriage? Polygamous marriage? So yeah. I think it depends. Especially if there's different groups going about marriage equality at the same time.

The other reason that I prefer "same-sex marriage" is that "marriage equality" is morally-laden. I generally don't care for morally-laden terminology, since it tends to unnecessarily hinder discussion between people who aren't like-minded.

Explain please? Maybe it's just me being dumb, but I never thought that "marriage equality" was considered morally loaded.

[–]mvmlego[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I never thought that "marriage equality" was considered morally loaded.

I know enough social conservatives who oppose(d) same-sex marriage to say that at least a large minority considers it to be morally loaded, and I think it is as well. Opponents of same-sex marriage, just like liberals, think that equality before the law is a moral imperative, but they have a different idea of what constitutes equal treatment. On an abstract level, opponents of same-sex marriage oppose it because they don't see it as equivalent to heterosexual marriage in some way or another. Consequently, to acknowledge that same-sex marriage is equal to heterosexual marriage is to give the game away.

Of course, that makes it a useful rhetorical strategy for liberals to frame the debate in terms of equality--and I suspect that's precisely why some liberals advocate for the term.

[–]BiHorror 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Ah... Thanks for explaining. I can understand a bit more on why it's considered loaded now.