The whole point of a discussion thread like this one is to pinpoint differences of opinion. I've spent some time thinking about your apparent stance, which is not an uncommon one in my experience, and challenging you on it. You talk about what you see as your perfectly valid opposition to gay marriage but, unfortunately, you are also opposed to the legislation that would allow it. This is a homophobic stance for the following reason. You have an underlying opinion about gay people and gay marriage, which is fine. Different to mine, but fine. But you would go further and attempt to restrict the right of gay people to enjoy the same status as straight people, even though it would have no effect on you or any other married heterosexuals whatsoever. Wouldn't affect your life one bit. You even resent the fact that, in your opinion (which, actually, is not fine in this case because it is misguided), gay people call themselves gay (which most of us emulate these days) instead of homosexual. Equally, this does not affect you except that you're irritated by having to find another word, of which there are plenty, where you might have used "gay". Wow, how devastating is that! So you wish to impose restrictions on gay people that would not apply to straight people and which would scarcely impinge on your life at all, or the lives of most people in general, except to make you feel a bit cross. In opposing the legislation you are not allowing for any shades of opinion other than your own. You think you are so right that you deserve to be supported by contrary legislation, presumably the status quo. Well, as far as I'm concerned, in matters like this the principle of live and let live should prevail. It's called tolerance and it is something that, so far, appears to be lacking in your attitude to gay people. That's what's up. I don't think anyone is judging you as a person. As you post under a pseudonym and I don't know where you live, for all know you might be that great bloke down the pub I've been joking and getting pissed with for donkeys' years. If you're not sure it's me, I'm the one with the pink socks and a copy of Gay News under my arm.