The Ironic Effect of the Gay Marriage Debate Has Been to Make Liberals More Pro-Marriage

A decade ago it was common for liberals to consider whether all "personal relationships" should be considered not only equally valid choices, but equally good in their effects on the adults and their children.

At the same time, though, the most successful argument for same-sex marriage touted the importance of marriage for the couple, their children, and society as a whole.

As a result, liberals, who almost by definition opposed the ban on same-sex marriage, came to talk less about the irrelevance of marriage, and more about marriage as a right for all and a benefit to society.