Monday, November 08, 2004
Marriage equality: The indirect approach
Mindles H. Dreck suggests that the advocates of gay marriage would be well-served to attack the issue indirectly by campaigning for parity in legal benefits (tax status, entitlement status, and so forth). Indeed, this may be the only avenue left after this year, which began with the Goodrich decision in Massachusetts and ended with an emphatic popular response at the voting booth.
I would add that the anti-abortion activists have pursued a similarly indirect strategy to great effect, having been forced into into it by Roe v. Wade. They've nibbled at abortion "rights" at the margin, advocating for reforms that moderates have a tough time arguing against (parental consent, waiting periods, the partial-birth ban, etc.). Well, the same strategy might work well for the gay rights movement around such matters as taxation, inheritance, the right to partner status for employee or even governmental benefits, and even adoption (although this last is the most likely to inflame the religious right).
I would add that the anti-abortion activists have pursued a similarly indirect strategy to great effect, having been forced into into it by Roe v. Wade. They've nibbled at abortion "rights" at the margin, advocating for reforms that moderates have a tough time arguing against (parental consent, waiting periods, the partial-birth ban, etc.). Well, the same strategy might work well for the gay rights movement around such matters as taxation, inheritance, the right to partner status for employee or even governmental benefits, and even adoption (although this last is the most likely to inflame the religious right).
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