gay people, if they are citizens, have the same rights as any body else, nothing more, nothing less.
They are not “special” “cool” and are far from enlightened and I wouldn’t wish the belief that one is “gay” on any of my friends or family. I doubt your hope for your child is that they are “gay”. You might hope they become a doctor, or you might hope they strike it rich, but I doubt you would hope they become “gay”.
You’re exactly right.
Gov’t has NO business being in the marriage ‘contract’. Like everything else, it has nosed into every aspect of life and perverts the same.
Marriage is a wholly religious institution, true. Anyone/thing else can civil-union all they like. But, dammit, get the gov’t meddling out of the tax/health/etc. code; everyone is the same/equal.
Aside from a few other areas of contention (adoption, kids, etc.), everything else goes away.