“That’s why same-sex marriage seems so important for many gay activists at this point in our history. It stands for civic striving, which is not the same as social climbing. This is a crucial distinction, one that requires progressives to support the right to do what they may not think is right. If a single principle sums up our movement, it’s that we ought to have the same option as straights. Critics of marriage can work for the day when people reject this institution, but they must also struggle for a time when people make that choice because they are free to, not because they must.” – 106
“While it is a mistake to conflate pop culture with social reality, it certainly can wean people from their fear and loathing of the other, especially when its tropes amplify the values of liberal society. Among these principles is the conviction that identity is not destiny. Though this ideal is often honored in the breach, its application to women and gays fuels the engine of fundamentalism, which is not just a religious orientation but a belief in the fixed nature of sexual and ultimately social hierarchies. By challenging this order, gay liberation is central to the culture wars and no doubt the coming battle over same-sex marriage will be a culminating event in that conflict.” – 113