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Same-Sex Marriage As an Issue of 'Tolerance,' Not 'Acceptance'

By Kevin Adler
January 04, 2006

When it comes to same-sex marriage and related issues, proponents of equality often are divided over how they should make their case politically, socially, and in the courts. Some LGBT advocates believe that direct challenges are necessary to highlight the inequities faced by same-sex couples, while others counsel a more incremental and/or indirect approach. One of America's most prominent analysts of social change considered this issue recently, and he came down solidly on the side of a less-aggressive approach, arguing that many Americans who are now considered in the category of opposing same-sex partnerships actually would support them if the issue was properly framed.

“There is a group of Americans who comprise the majority … who right now are saying that they hate and dislike gay marriage – but that's not what they mean. They are people who are on the fence, for whom this issue that is new and shocking and difficult to understand,” said noted author Malcolm Gladwell in a keynote presentation at National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's 18th annual Creating Change Conference in Oakland, CA, in November.

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