To allow individuals to exercise their personal choice. I’m not saying I would choose it but others may. Who am I to tell them they can’t and on what basis?
But that’s a tricky question still. I saw a thing on the news one night about a couple who was using their nondescript suburban house as a place for swingers from all over to congregate and do the nasty. Well it’s their right to treat their marriages as they see fit and if they’re all consenting adults…
Except the street wasn’t designed for that many cars, noise disturbed the neighbors, there wouldn’t be enough exits if a fire broke out, sexual behavior spilled out into public spaces, used condoms showed up on the lawns, pervs were leering at neighbors, they were charging fees without a license, etc. “In theory there is no difference between theory and practice - in practice there is” ( Yogi Berra )
Aye, there’s the rub. You want to be sure they aren’t coerced but they could still be indoctrinated from a very young age. A) Some in here will tell you that their parents dragged them to worship services and they always hated it, never believed it, and they resisted it—but when every single person in your community is that way, even teachers at school or anybody you meet, and they’ll ostracize you for going against them…? B) Should the government step in and tell people they can’t raise their children as they see fit? All established religions today were “cults” once upon a time, it seems. “My child should be exposed to the religion so they can realize how wonderful it is.”
…or any other religion. But if we can look at various cultures that practice it, it may help create guidelines, show how they overcame some problems. I do like the idea of fairness as I perceived it; maybe the husband can’t walk away so easily.
It’s pretty new territory…if you had asked me a few years ago what a “non-binary” person was, I wouldn’t have had a clue. Sex changes are becoming more of a thing. Things are changing fast and I don’t know what to anticipate next (Woody Allen predicted a thing called the “Orgasmatron,” didn’t he?). If we can extend freedom to people, reasonably, I think we should.
But first and foremost: protect the kids. Adults can make good or bad decisions for themselves but the kids may need outside advocacy and protection—if this marriage experiment goes bad, the kids must still be provided for, full stop.
But let’s remember, too, that some think gays/lesbians shouldn’t raise kids because “they’ll make the kids gay”—there’s that funky prejudice/xenophobia/ignorance that we have to keep in check.
And how do we calculate tax rates for extra heads of household or inheritance if there’s a death or visitation rights and child support if there’s a divorce etc.?
I heard of a special marriage some were getting (in Louisiana, maybe?) where those who agree to it have to take steps if the marriage sours. They can’t get a divorce before going to a certain amount of marriage counseling, waiting a certain time, that sort of thing. Maybe taking care of the details early on, while everybody is still lovey-dovey, is part of the solution.
