Civil unions are all the rage in Iowa! Among The Des Moines Register‘s random readers, at least. Gay marriage, meanwhile, remains the ugly step-institution:
Sixty-two percent of Iowans believe marriage should be only between a man and a woman, according to the poll by The Des Moines Register. Thirty-two percent believe same-sex marriages should be allowed, while 6 percent were unsure.
Iowans are split, however, on whether the state constitution should be changed to ban gay marriages.
And more than half of Iowans who responded to the poll support Iowa allowing civil unions for same-sex couples. About four in 10 Iowans oppose civil unions, and 4 percent are unsure.
The Iowa Poll of 801 adults was taken Feb. 17-20. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The poll also finds that 48% of Iowans want to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage. Forty-seven percent, meanwhile, are opposed. Five percent simply can’t make up their minds.
M Shane
I ‘m still not sure that any legitimate arguments have been put forward against civil unions as opposed to marriage for gay people, as long as the same rights are permitted.
I’ve gone through enough accepting myself as a gay person, without backsliding and thinking that we should do more to pretend that we’re straight. Some people just want the instituton so ytthat they can be like mom and pop,
which to me is silly and immature.
ben
Separate but equal?
M Shane
Yea, pretty much so. Like having Mens and Womens toilets. A. Sullivan popularized the strange notion that if we could get married we would be just like straight people in his stange Catholic imagination?
We are emotinally different. If you want to find that out have a relationship with a woman.
We are separte from Hets by oceans .
M Shane
When HIV came around, I tried being straight because I hate rubbers. I can do the sex fine but everything else is fucked up emotionally.
No fun.
David
re: post #4
WTF??????????????????
akaison
The first poster, sadly like so many people, doesn’t understand the legal questions involved so they assume civil unions are the same as marriage. It’s not just a choice of words. It’s a matter of the reality that marriage is a international, federal, interstate, state and local institution that accrues rights at the various levels that I just described. What rights do civil unions create? Well, you can say there are clear rights at the state and local level, but what of the international, federal and interstate level? Are they the same? Are they different? Even within a state, take NJ, are the rights the same? Are they different? If you don’t understand why this is an issue it’s because laws are about definitions, and if definitions aren’t clear, then people, in this case, gay people get screwed. If you as a gay couple own property not just in your state, but say, in Virginia, then if one of you dies (heaven forbid) what sort of problems are created when you go to address the estate? There are a million other issues that are created that not only reduce gay rights under this separate but unequal institution, but also increase costs.
M Shane
David #4: I think that my reaction was one of panic with HIV since I had been extremely carefree for a long while in S.F & NYC indeed
It’s not impossible to get some enjoyment out of sex with a woman & if you’re a good lover can be pretty sure of fidelity.
M Shane
The social roles that go along with attachments that heterosexuals and maybe some gay people endure are too commited for me. I hate wearing rubbers, so I decided to be straight (to the degree of not having sex with men) for awhile. I’m sure that some gay people could enjoy sex with women if they wanted to & were horny enough. I thought it was better than risking aids or wearing rubbers.