I've followed with some interest in the past couple of decades the debate within gay rights circles over whether or not marriage equality should be a priority or even an issue at all. There's a lot of points in the debate, but one argument from the opponents of prioritizing marriage equality is that it will reinforce the power of the institution of marriage right when we should be dismantling it. As someone who firmly agrees with the radicals that we need to create a post-marriage society where your economic well-being, health, and access to services is not tied to who you sleep with,* I found these arguments concerning. However, the reality, as gay marriage becomes popular and more states legalize it, is that things are complex. Both the people who worry about the crush of conformity and the people who see the marriage issue as the perfect "in" to talk about other concerns have seen some of their predictions come true.
