What, specifically, is to be gained by approving same-sex marriages?

Well, here are the basic rights at present being denied to gay partners in most places:

Joint parental rights of children

Joint adoption

Status as "next-of-kin" for hospital visits and medical decisions

Right to make a decision about the disposal of loved ones remains

Immigration and residency for partners from other countries

Crime victims recovery benefits

Domestic violence protection orders

Judicial protections and immunity

Automatic inheritance in the absence of a will

Public safety officers death benefits

Spousal veterans benefits

Social Security

Medicare

Joint filing of tax returns

Wrongful death benefits for surviving partner and children

Bereavement or sick leave to care for partner or children

Child support

Joint Insurance Plans

Tax credits including: Child tax credit, Hope and lifetime learning credits

Deferred Compensation for pension and IRAs

Estate and gift tax benefits

Welfare and public assistance

Joint housing for elderly

Credit protection

Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans

You see the arguement with marriage is that it's function is for a man and woman to be joined together in which they can reproduce and create a family. That's all fine and dandy but there's a growing number of couples who are deciding to wait till their in their later years before they marry or join in union with a partner. There's no problem with that I suppose but a number of these people are gone past the baby rearing stage where especially for women their bodies cannot carry a child so where does that leave marriage? Or couples that can't reproduce? Basically these arguements are being used and rightly so. Society has changed and so has the relationships between people. As for gay marriage it's not about changing for one group it's about changing for everyone. I believe the American Oath has "equality and justice for all" so if gay and lesbians aren't allowed to marry it's a contradiction in itself. Plus some are arguing that next will be people marrying animals. Well what they seem to forget is that an animal cannot consent to any behaviour with a human so that goes out the window. It's time to stop making excuses and give equal rights to everyone!

The hospital would have less legal recourse to deny said partner. This is what sucks about the inequities that happen with things like this. If I was a chick married to my man I could go into that hospital no questions asked. If I'm a man visiting my man then I get twenty questions and the possibility of not seeing him at all. How the hell is that supposed to be equal??? By being able to have equality in marriage, we'll get equality in other things as well.

It's basic civil rights - you want to deny certain rights (and responsibilities) to one specific group based solely on a religious viewpoint. It goes way beyond who can visit whom in a hospital. Because same-sex couples are denied the right to marry, same-sex couples and their families are denied access to the more than 1,138 federal rights, protections and responsibilities automatically granted to married heterosexual couples. Just one of hundreds of examples would be that my husband can only be covered on my medical plan as long as we are married. My gay friend has been in a committed relationship just as long as I have, but cannot get coverage for his partner because they are not allowed to be legally married.

1. If your religion says that same sex marriage is wrong, then fine, you don't have to perform the ceremonies in your church. Another example would be that if you have been divorced, the Catholic church will not let you be married in their church, but its okay to go to a Justice of the Peace and get married a second time....or third, fourth etc.

2. A marriage at city hall has nothing to do with religion. It's one official (Judge) and two witnesses and the couple - all of whom sign what amounts to a legal contract between two people. There is no requirement for any type of words to be spoken at all - let alone any to do with religion.

Here's a brief list.

-Joint parenting;

-Joint adoption;

-Joint foster care, custody, and visitation (including non-biological parents);

-Status as next-of-kin for hospital visits and medical decisions where one partner is too ill to be competent;

-Joint insurance policies for home, auto and health;

-Dissolution and divorce protections such as community property and child support;

-Immigration and residency for partners from other countries;

-Inheritance automatically in the absence of a will;

-Joint leases with automatic renewal rights in the event one partner dies or leaves the house or apartment;

-Inheritance of jointly-owned real and personal property through the right of survivorship (which avoids the time and expense and taxes in probate);

-Benefits such as annuities, pension plans, Social Security, and Medicare;

-Spousal exemptions to property tax increases upon the death of one partner who is a co-owner of the home;

-Veterans' discounts on medical care, education, and home loans; joint filing of tax returns;

-Joint filing of customs claims when traveling;

-Wrongful death benefits for a surviving partner and children;

-Bereavement or sick leave to care for a partner or child;

-Decision-making power with respect to whether a deceased partner will be cremated or not and where to bury him or her;

-Crime victims' recovery benefits;

-Loss of consortium tort benefits;

-Domestic violence protection orders;

-Judicial protections and evidentiary immunity;

By the way, if non-white people, interracial couples and people who want divorces had the right to change the definition of marriage, we sure as hell do.

"What, specifically, is to be gained by approving same-sex marriages?" - more happy people. That is all.

there really isn't a good reason other than forcing everyone to tolerate ( read 'approve') of their lifestyle.

any realistic and logical argument is not possible here...