Why does marriage matter?

I found this on whiteknot.org and I have to say I hadn’t really thought much about the marriage equality until I found out my grandson and the apple of my eye is gay and is living with a really nice man. They’re both university graduates, one’s a lawyer and one’s pretty high up in the political scene. Will they want to marry? I don’t know but after reading this, I hope they can if it’s what they want.

15 Reasons Why Marriage Matters — From Marriage Equality USA

1. Marriage offers 1,138 Federal benefits and responsibilities, not including hundreds more offered by every state.
2. In times of crisis, spouses have hospital visitation rights and can make medical decisions in event of illness or disability of their spouse.
3. Employers offer spouses sick leave, bereavement leave, access to health insurance and pension.
4. The law provides certain automatic rights to a person’s spouse regardless of whether or not a will exists.
5. Married couples in elderly care facilities are generally not separated unless one spouse’s health dictates hospitalization or special care.
6. Married couples are permitted to give an unlimited amount of gifts to each other without being taxed.
7. The law presumes that a married couple with both names on the title to their home owns the property as “tenants by the entirety.”
8. A married couple, by statute, has creditor protection of their marital home.
9. any married people are entitled to financial benefits relating to their spouses, such as disability, pension and social security benefits.
10. With marriage, a couple has the right to be treated as an economic unit and to file joint tax returns (and pay the marriage penalty), and obtain joint
11. health, home and auto insurance policies.
12. When a spouse dies, there is no need to prove ownership of every item in the household for taxable purposes.
13. A child who grows up with married parents benefits from the fact that his or her parents’ relationship is recognized by law and receives legal protections.
14. Spouses are generally entitled to joint child custody and visitation upon divorce (and bear an obligation to pay child support).
15. The mark of a strong family and healthy children is having parents who are nurturing, caring, and loving. Parents should be judged on their ability to parent, not by their age, race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
16. or adults, a stable, happy marriage is the best protector against illness and premature death. Decades of research have clearly established these links. (Burman & Margolin, 1992; Dawson, 1991; Verbrugge, 1979).

All of these rights of marriage I have always taken for granted but if I loved another woman instead of a man, I’d be denied all these things. Does it really hurt any of us if gay people can marry? Seriously? I’m not talking about having them walk down the aisles of every church but what is going to tear down society if everyone has equal marriage rights? Maybe some of us need to be more human and compassionate towards others.