Gay Marriage means
Genderless Marriage

Part 7 of the
Libertarian Case for
Man/Woman Marriage

Same sex marriage means genderless marriage.

Most people resist the idea that same sex couples and opposite sex couples are identical in every respect, just as most people resist the idea that men and women are completely interchangeable as parents, as spouses and as sex partners. If the state commits itself to "marriage equality," the state will have to enforce this idea upon the populace.

"Marriage equality" is an artificial creation of the state, and as such it cannot sustain itself. And precisely because it is an unnatural idea, the state will end up intervening in every aspect of society that touches upon marriage or gender or parenthood. This is far too much power to grant to the state, far too much social engineering, far too much thought control.

In fact, in places that have redefined marriage, the state has intervened into aspects of civil society never before under its jurisdiction. Far from limiting the power of the state, this version of "equality" has become a tool for the hostile takeover of civil society by the state.

• Churches are under attack for dissenting from the new state-imposed Orthodoxy that marriage is whatever the government says it is.
• Parents are losing the right to direct the education of their own children.
• Foster parents in the UK must submit to the state’s views about marriage.
• Reputable adoption agencies have been put out of business.

The pettiness of some of the complaints brought by same sex couples is staggering. Christian bed and breakfast owners have been sued for not allowing unmarried couples to stay in double rooms. Same sex couples have brought legal complaints against wedding photographers, as if there were a constitutional right to have your picture taken by the person of your choice.

Marriage between a man and a woman is a natural pre-political institution. Because it is pre-political, it can, for the most part, take care of itself. It naturally renews and replenishes itself. This quality deters the state from intruding too much into families’ lives.

By contrast, genderless marriage is entirely the construction of the state. Genderless marriage requires continual support and even coddling by the state. Unlike traditional marriage, it cannot survive without the state. How would it?

The most natural thing in the world would be for the sexual partnerships between two women to take a different form than the sexual partnerships between two men, and for both of these to take a different form from traditional marriage. It is only the artificial creation of the state called "same sex marriage" attempting to achieve "marriage equality" that would even consider treating all three types of relationships as if they were identical. They are not identical; treating them as if they were requires increasing of the power of the state. Libertarians should oppose it on these grounds.

This is part 7 of our series, The Libertarian Case for Man/Woman Marriage Other parts are located here:

Part 1: What is the definition of marriage?

Part 2: What is marriage and why do we need it?

Part 3: Gay Marriage Facts

Part 4: Marriage equality creates new inequalities

Part 5: Marriage Laws: How Should the State View Marriage?

Part 6: History of Marriage

Part 7: Gay Marriage means Genderless Marriage (you are here)

Part 8: Government and Marriage

Return to the home page: Genderless Marriage