As more and more states join the discussion about marriage equality (what up, Washington and hopefully Maryland?) it’s important to think about how we talk about the issues at hand. More specifically: why do we use the language we do? 

For a while, we referred to the overall political topic of people of the same sex getting married as “gay marriage.” But that’s never been right. Why? Because marriage is marriage. Whether two people who enter into a marriage are the same gender or not, it’s still a marriage under the law, and we don’t need to distinguish between those that are “gay” or not.

The op-ed linked here is from TV personality Jim Morrison and it explains the debate perfectly. As Morrison points out, there are great sayings out there that relate back to this whole issue: 

We’ve all seen the great ads that play on this: “If you don’t like gay marriage don’t get gay married,” and “I don’t gay park my car, I park it. It’s just marriage.” 

He takes it a step further to explain how opponents of equality use the term “gay marriage” as a way to make LGBT people seem like a deviant minority who just don’t enter “normal” marriages. Using “gay marriage” further segregates gay people from straight people, as if they are simply not capable of the same commitments. Surprise, anti-equality folk: a marriage is a marriage no matter what. 

This article is a quick read, but it’ll teach you something. Marriage equality is the way to go, in language and in life. Take “gay marriage” out of your vocabulary.