I wish it were as simple as that, but almost every civil union bill has come under the same attack as marriage has. If it passes, it is generally watered down to a small fraction of the rights and responsibilities that marriage conveys. Then there are the terms husband and wife, are those intrinsically tied to marriage? Are we doomed to refer to our same sex life mates as partners? Partner, boy/girlfriend doesn't convey the same meaning as husband or wife. I'm tired of my relationship being treated like it is fundamentally inferior to straight relationships.

Husband is a man, wife is a woman...just how do you explain your relationship? I don't understand, two women or two men can not be a husband and wife, can they? I am not being critical, I want to understand, how is in your personal relationship? I mean no disrespect.. so please don't take it that way.

No offense taken. Questions are how we understand each other.
That is my point. If I were able to call my male partner "husband," it would more accurately describe my relationship to him than partner.
In other words, if someone says, "my husband is a good cook" or, "my husband is a physicist" it conveys that you are speaking of a member of your family, your help mate, the person that you are committed to for the rest of your life (in ideal, anyway).
When I say my partner is a good cook, or my boyfriend is a physicist, it doesn't mean the same thing to people. It means the person you are "trying on," or the person you are having sex with.
If you go to the hospital and your significant other wants to visit and says, "I'm the husband," he is rushed right in, if he says, "I'm the boyfriend," he is offered a seat in the lobby.
So what I mean is, I'm sick people, even my family, seeing my relationship as transitory, even after 7 years. My partner is my family, my soulmate, my companion for life. Husband is the only word that conveys that in our culture, but if I call him that, I'm bound to get people arguing that he isn't my husband.
That's a pain equal to having to check "single" on my income taxes and FAFSA every year, just an insult to the most wonderful man I've ever known. It is a slap in his face.

Oh, sorry, I missed part of your question. I don't see why he can't be my husband, and me, his. Or wife and wife for Lesbians.

Now that is a rational and heart felt explanation I have heard! Thank you, for your honesty and true feelings. I do agree you may not get the same treatment at the hospitals and such, that is not fair at all! I have a son who is homosexual (and the best hair dresser in Houston, I might add,) we have discussed this with him, at great length and we do feel the same, if his partner or mate wants to be there with him we (his family) all agree his mate should share that and be all that a spouse is, to any of us. I know just how you feel and I thank you for your very understanding explanation. I also am a Christian so, you can imagine the conflicts I have with in myself, so, I pray hard to be understanding and open to all that would further my own son happiness. Thank you,again and I will honestly think about what you have said and pray that others will open their heart to you pleas.

Wow, your response has brought tears to my eyes. Your son truly has a treasure! I can definitely sympathize with your conflict, I've often been bitter with my parents for choosing their faith over their relationship with me, but other times I respect them, though it is painful, because I understand that they are trying their hardest to do what they believe is right, even though I'm sure it brings them great pain as well. I wish that there was an easy answer, but I suppose if everything were easy, we'd have nothing to do most of the time!
Thank you so much again for being so conscientious and sensitive to others. It makes the world a better place!

I am the one that is blesses he is the one that helped me to understand and he bless my heart every time I get to see him, (plus he is good to me, by doing my hair from time to time.) Thank you, again, and I will say a prayer for more understanding with your family too. But you must know through it all, they do love you, as we do our son. God bless you.

Exactly what I have always said.

Thank you.

I agree wholeheartedly with Elton. He GETS IT, and other homsexuals need to do the same. If homosexuals went for civil partnerships, they would have it now in 50 states. Problem is, that is not ALL they want. They insist on the word marriage, because they think that would make them NORMAL. They are desperate to be labeled NORMAL. Fact is, societies and religions created marriage - NOT GOVERNMENT. This is the distinction that is lost on so many homsexuals, but not the great Elton John. Government merely recognizes this ages-old societal commitment, and chooses to confirm certain legal rights with it. It is these legal rights that homosexuals are technically after, but they keep stumbling over semantics. Get rid of the word marriage, and homosexuals would have pretty much all the legal rights they claim to seek. But what many are really trying to do is get the government to declare them "NORMAL" by giving them the word "marriage." This is why these same-sex "marriage" bills are rejected over and over by American society. GET THE WORD "MARRIAGE" OUT OF THERE, and you get what you want, legally.
Homosexuality is not biologically normal. And no amount of screaming and hollering and whining and law-making is ever going to change that!!!!!!!! Accept the fact that it is not biologically normal, and then move forward and live the productive, loving life that God gave you the ability to do.