[RicocheT]

You ignore the social importance of marriage between a man and a woman. Only conventional families and the children they raise insure the long term survival of society.

Sex partners do not equate with heterosexual marriage. Real marriage is a long-term private and social compact of family raising, not just sex. Because of the social benefits, Society has recognized it and granted marriage special status.

Families with children pass on society's good values to their children, defer immediate gratification to store up wealth for their children and stay together for love of the spouse and the protection of their children.

Society benefits by stable families as they, not the state assume the burden of child raising. Society benefits by families' long-term wealth building as there is more wealth for investing in businesses and social infrastructure.

Homosexual and casual sex alliances do not generate wealth building as they live for today, not tomorrow. Children of casual sex do not have two parents to guide and protect them. Most single mothers try hard to raise their children, but only with sacrifice and extra efforts. Look at the wealth statistics for single moms, they don't have the second income source two parent families do.

[Dilly]

Everything you say about why the government protects marriages is true. But nothing you say is a reason for excluding same sex couples (especially those raising children) from the protections of marriage. And nothing you say explains why the government allows people to marry who can not or will not have children.