Originally Posted by PR_Tom

What you describe is exactly why it's important to remember that it's a legal document.

It's not some mystical juju or voodoo or church thing. Being married by a holy person is simply an option in marriage. This is a secular society after all. It wasn't fair to ban people from it for fucking differently.

People have already tried the separate but equal thing and it really doesn't work. Whites Only water fountain? Just have a Blacks Only water fountain! Whites Only diner? Just have a Blacks Only diner! Straights Only marriage? Just have Gays Only civil unions! It's all the exact same malarky. Being a married couple is what will separate married couples from just plain old couples who shack up. Same as it ever was.

Besides, no state (still) is required to recognize the marriage formed in another state. DOMA was always a useless red herring.