When I saw the headline, I knew that Heather (like me) would have an opinion, so I started looking for her article. I found it… Is It News? Trailblazers Separate in Massachusetts. To her question I answer, in my opinion, it certainly is news.
When people radically alter a commonly held custom, a centuries old tradition that has been held up as the cornerstone of society -to include their personal preferences- it makes sense that others would expect them to then honor that commitment. Marriage is meant to last a lifetime, until separated by death, not only until difficulties arise.
While I have to admit that heterosexual couples don’t always give marriage a chance, and don’t always honor their vows either, I’m still shocked that two of the very people who so vocally demanded that marriage be redefined, at the expense of the majority that disagree, would give up so soon.
They have only been “married” for a tad over two years, since May of 2004, yet a spokesperson recently announced their separation. She did not mention how long the couple have been separated. It leads one to wonder if perhaps they weren’t more committed to their agenda than they were to each other. After all, two years is not a very long time to be married.
There is no way of knowing if the couple will actually divorce, or how that divorce will be handled. How will child custody be decided when only one parent is a biological parent? Will that fact make a difference? My thoughts are with the child.
Again, I certainly think this is news, but I would also like to hear your opinions on this matter. Is it news? And, do you believe it will be a setback for gay marriage? I’m not so sure about the latter, since separation/divorce are so common in regular marriage, but I believe it will continue to be an issue in marriage debates to come.