I'm not sure how I feel.
Today, Washington state passed the 'everything but marriage' bill that gives same-sex couples all the same rights as heterosexual couples. This will change all statutes in which previously, only married hetero couples had been mentioned. All the same benefits and rights of married people will be extended to same-sex partnerships.
While one part of me is incredibly happy that people I know are finally receiving the rights they deserve, another part of my brain is screaming "SEPARATE IS NOT EQUAL!" If we are being given ALL the same rights as marriage and the same ideas, then why not call it 'Marriage'? OH YEA, cause we're second class citizens.
Isn't that really what's being said here? "I'll let you be my girlfriend, you just can't tell ANYONE!" Like it's something to be ashamed of.
I'm just not sure which side of this I fall on. I'm glad that the GLBT community is little by little gaining more rights, but the recognition and validation is so needed right now, that I... I just don't know.
What do you think?