Marriage v Civil Union

GOSH! You guys are a tough crowd! So many views yet no one will comment. Be brave!

Today I had a discussion with a coworker who is thinking of getting married. After listen to his thoughts he asks me if Id ever thought of getting married. I replied, "I would if I could". He asked why I couldn't. I told him gay marriage wasn't legal in Michigan. He says they are in Florida.

Pause. It never dawned on me how little people know about our world so for my straight and ally readers I wanna break it down.

First and foremost, gay marriage is not legal in Florida. Second a marriage and a partnership or civil union are totally different things. When you decide to get married you are seen as husband and wife. These titles hold so much significance. Its a bond to stay together for eternity. Its a symbol of your love to one another. Your no longer recognized as a you but a they.

We don't get that. We are taxed as a couple but we are not wife and wife or husband and husband. We become two "yous" that never reach a plural form. When we have kids theirs one name on the birth certificate. Depending on the state were in our union might not even be recognized.

Its just not the same. Marriage is like the first place trophy, a civil union is the participation ribbon and its not at all based on us. Its some slap in the face by a society that yells at least we gave you something. But its not enough, do you understand?

Put yourself in our shoes..... That lovely wife and those gorgeous kids, the fact that if anything ever happens to you they will still be taken care.... Imagine that was nothing but a dream.... Then tell me you'd still accept it.

Happy Coming Out Day!!!

Coming Out Day is a national holiday that's celebrates the coming out of the closet as LGBT persons. Its a day to help others on their journey to being able to be loud and proud. Its a day to share stories of people that are already out. Its a day to build hope and pride by letting people new to this community know that it gets better and if they have no one else they have a friend in is. Rather important a day in my book!

I've told my coming out story over and over again BUT if you still haven't heard it, click that link! This year I'm gonna do something different.... I want you to share your story with me and my readers. Who will be brave enough to share?

Gay-Parenting: Rights & Not-So-Rights

I dont' know how many of you know but I have a 4-year-old daughter and I recently sat her down and explained my sexuality to her. Now some of you might say shes a little young and I didn't have to do it just yet but 4 is an impressionable age and I decided to tell her before someone else gave her the impression that how I'm living is wrong. Before I tell you guys of my experience with that conversation I wanna know how you told your kids or how you would of done it i you had children.

How would you have explained it?

When would you have told them?