from Parenting & Family
In "The Confession" and "The Confession II," Kurtz analyzes the proposals put forth by a new coalition known as "Beyond Marriage."
Kurtz notes: "The Beyond Same-Sex Marriage statement is nothing if not radical. It calls for extending government recognition beyond traditional married couples to groups of senior citizens living together, extended immigrant households, single parent households, 'queer couples who decide to jointly create and raise a child with another queer person or couple in two households,' unmarried domestic partners, polygamous/polyamorous households, and many other diverse family forms."
This Beyond Same-Sex Marriage movement has attracted more than 90 professors from prestigious universities to sign a statement in support of the radical redefinition of the family.
Kurtz observes that after years of self-censorship about their true objectives, these activists "are broadcasting their agenda to the world (even as an angry, strategically-based response by prominent backers of same-sex marriage have begun to put the muzzle back on).
In "The Confession II," Kurtz lays out the facts about organizations claiming to only want "gay marriage." "Many, if not most, of the gay and lesbian organizations which have signed on to the battle for same-sex marriage do not take marriage itself as their goal. Instead, these advocacy groups are broadly supportive of the radical family agenda announced in the Beyond Same-Sex Marriage manifesto."
Gay journalist Zak Szymanski, for example, has written: "Many national LGBT groups, despite their large investment in securing gay marriage, agree that there is a problem with a society that values marriage over other all other family forms." Michelle Granda of the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) says: "We have always believed families are configured in many ways that marriage is not the answer for all families." GLAD is the organization that filed the lawsuit in Massachusetts leading to the legalization of gay marriage in that state.
Shannon Minter with the National Center for Lesbian Rights notes: "I don't think same-sex marriage means we aren't also fighting for protections of other people." He advocates varied family forms.
Dr. Kurtz predicts that the political organization of the gay community will shift as the battle continues to legalize same-sex marriage. "For now, 'conservative' proponents of same-sex marriage are out in front, supported by a vast array of considerably less conservative activists and lobby groups. Meanwhile, the radicals are marginalized and/or intentionally keeping a low profile. In a post-gay-marriage world, this situation will flip. The radicals will step out in front, supported by largely the same coalition of activists and lobby groups who currently support same-sex marriage. At that point, conservatives, no longer needed to run interference for the larger movement, will be quietly put out to pasture. By then we shall be well beyond same-sex marriage. Listen carefully to the words of same-sex marriage supporters, and they confess as much themselves."