"……just as Don Firth is quite wrong to say, that because he knows several couples whos "marriage"/union has lasted a moderate length of time, homosexual "marriage"/ union is generally as long lasting as hetero marriage."

I did not say that, ake. Please do me the courtesy of not misconstruing or misrepresenting what I have said.

Since same-sex marriage has not been legal until very recently and only in a few states, one cannot say for sure one way or the other. BUT even without legal marriage, hitherto denied to them, the couples I mentioned, and the couples in PH Jim's link, have shown every sign of maintaining their monogamous relationships and of having melded their lives in the same manner as heterosexual couples.

Even when same-sex marriage was not legal, the relationships existed over many years, and continue to exist.

Let me put it to you this way:   going through a marriage ceremony, especially a church ceremony (which some liberal churches now perform) complete with friends and relatives in attendance (not to mention the expense involved in such a ceremony) is a public declaration that such a relationship exists. I have attended three such ceremonies that took place a couple of decades ago (recognized by the church and the attendees, whether the law acknowledged it or not) and they are still together and doing well. And I know of other such ceremonies which I didn't attend, and the same situation prevails.

It's obvious that you're objection that "gay men spread HIV/AIDs" in THIS circumstance does not apply. And, indeed, they should be encouraged, not opposed—IF one is truly concerned about the spread of HIV/AIDs.

So—what is your objection? How does it, in any way, affect you?

Don Firth