@Shae I think you misunderstood me. Employers choose to offer health care coverage and other benefits to spouses and children of employees. A marriage contract sets a legal framework for determining who is eligible for such benefits, otherwise one could claim whoever they happen to be shacked up with at the moment, which would be too expensive and unstable for accountants to handle. What marriage essentially does is allow you to select one individual who you want to designate as your closest relative who is not already your relative. In doing so and in combining property, using a legal contract is a reasonable approach and it gives a clear signal to courts, government, employers, and others that this person is your legitimate family and entitled to share in your assets, visit you in the hospital when visitation is restricted, care for your children, whatever. And this protection is denied to gay couples because people are fearful and ignorant.