I agree with you wholeheartedly when it comes to a long term solution. Legal marriage is not something I yen for at all, but I'll be right there cheering on any gay couple and/or polyamorous group that wants to challenge society's attitudes about marriage.
On the other hand, what isn't an acceptable end point may very well be a step in the right direction, and that's more or less how I feel about civil unions. No, they're not good enough, but they're better than nothing, and I think using them as an intermediate step along the path may not be a bad idea. If you think about it, 'separate but equal' was a step along the path from slavery to legal equality for African Americans. Civil unions are no more an acceptable place to *stop* the struggle for LGBT equality than 'separate but equal' was an acceptable place to stop the struggle for racial equality, but they can damned sure be a stepping stone toward real equality, IMO.
no subject
On the other hand, what isn't an acceptable end point may very well be a step in the right direction, and that's more or less how I feel about civil unions. No, they're not good enough, but they're better than nothing, and I think using them as an intermediate step along the path may not be a bad idea. If you think about it, 'separate but equal' was a step along the path from slavery to legal equality for African Americans. Civil unions are no more an acceptable place to *stop* the struggle for LGBT equality than 'separate but equal' was an acceptable place to stop the struggle for racial equality, but they can damned sure be a stepping stone toward real equality, IMO.