Some good stuff, but...

[bawieland]

This annoyed me:

You have a hard time reconciling your politics with what you see as a deeply problematic institution. (Or, you're just an atheist.)

My atheist parents have been married for 44 years now and have been through good times and bad, weathered out some real challenges and come through it all dedicated to each other. Now, as their health starts to decline, they're still there for each other, pulling together and making the most of the lives they've built together. Marriage, to me, has nothing to do with religion. Their marriage is as true and genuine as any ever held in a church. It's wrong to let religion corner the market in marriage.

As for me, myself, btdt, happily divorced from my ex-husband and now living with the woman I love. I would love to marry her one day, but I'm holding out until we can have a union with all the rights and obligations granted to straight couples. I don't want just a symbolic ceremony. I want equality, too.