I hope I'm not derailing this thread, but I felt where the conversation has been going these last few posts that I wanted to chime in with my 2 cents.
I wanted so bad to have the right to marry since I came out in the early 1970s. Never ever thought in my wildest dreams that would become a reality in my lifetime. I'm glad I was wrong.
Many years ago we did all the lawyer/legal stuff we could to make sure we were both protected. Wills, powers-of-attorney, living wills, advanced directives, etc. You name it, we did it. Absolutely wonderful seasoned attorney who made sure she got us covered six ways from Sunday, lol.
When the Supreme Court affirmed the right for gay folks to marry, we were so happy. But didn't think we needed to because we were legally protected.
We ultimately decided to marry because we could! And to ensure we each had full access to each other should either of us become incapacitated. We didn't want anyone else making medical decisions.
Because Hubby has hearing issues, I've been going with him to his medical appointments as his "ears". Especially given some of the medical challenges he's faced, I wanted to make sure we got all the pertinent information so we could make the most informed decisions about his care.
How wonderful it's been how we are both treated by medical staff. No one seems to blink an eye when they ask about our relationship. He's my spouse. He's my Husband. We are legally married. It's been a nice refreshing experience. As it should be I know. But not exactly what we both expected either.
What made our marriage even more special is that we each used our respective Father's wedding rings as our rings. Amazing how they fit us both. And while I know my Father wasn't a gung-ho gay rights supporter, I do know he really liked my other half and loved me unconditionally and would be thrilled to know I wear his wedding ring as mine!