For Some, a Sanitized Movement (Gay Marriage)

[kskiska]

Activists: Something Lost In Fight for Gay Marriage

NEW YORK -- Some days, as he watches gay men button their tuxes and lesbians slip into wedding gowns, gay rights activist William Dobbs feels like screaming.

"Some gay activist in California called for mass civil disobedience until we get the right to marry," Dobbs said, his voice growing louder. "God! What could be more dreary?"

Dobbs has marched on the front lines of the gay liberation movement for three decades, and has not a closeted bone in his body. He has been arrested and spat on. But he never imagined his battles for sexual liberation would shore up the most conservative of social institutions: marriage.

"Our movement has become about lusting for weddings and lavender picket fences," he said. "It's so embarrassing -- I feel like turning in my gay card."

The gay rights activists and theorists and feminists who critique the campaign from the left are the voices less often heard in the battle over gay marriage. These critics are not opposed to gay marriage -- none would deny the emotional tug of marriage for tens of thousands of gay couples. But they are mortified at the fate of a revolution pasteurized. They wonder what happened to championing sexual freedom and universal health care, and upending patriarchy?

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37323-2004Mar30.html

[David__77]

1. There's no contradiction here.

One can do all these things at once. Some have argued that the marriage equality fight can best undermine patriarchy in fact. I think this is a lifestyle issue. Some older gay people do not identify with this sort of life. While I'm gay and I'm married in all but the legal sense, I don't think this automatically converts me into a submissive automaton for the nuclear family.

[xchrom]

2. agreed

i struggled a bit with this question myself -- old gay hippie that i am.
then i began to think of it as evolving the status quo.
i'll stick to my libertine ways and throw flowers for those who want to get married.