--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first question for me is: Are…" description: "\"The first question for me is: Are same-sex unions ‘marriages’? I’m against discrimination, I’m against hatred, I’m in favor of marriage equality, but I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg" --- # The first question for me is: Are same-sex unions… ![“The first question for me is: Are same-sex unions ‘marriages’? I’m against discrimination, I’m against hatred, I’m in favor of marriage equality, but I don’t think same-sex marriage is marriage. Therefore I think it is wrong for the government to insist, through the use of law, that we all believe…” quote by Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg) > “The first question for me is: Are same-sex unions ‘marriages’? I’m against discrimination, I’m against hatred, I’m in favor of marriage equality, but I don’t think same-sex marriage is marriage. Therefore I think it is wrong for the government to insist, through the use of law, that we all believe that same-sex unions are marriages.” [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker distinguishes personal support for equality from a belief that same‑sex unions fit the traditional definition of marriage, arguing that law should not force a specific definition on everyone. **In simple terms:** Supports equality but rejects redefining marriage; opposes legal imposition of definition. Key Takeaway Respect differing views without legal compulsion. Themes equality marriage definition religion law civil rights Mood thoughtful concerned Type political ethical When to use this quote - public policy debate - religious community discussions - legislative hearings - educational forums Key Concepts Social contract legal language cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance religious convictions with civil rights? - What are the implications of defining marriage narrowly? A Different Perspective May overlook the lived reality of same‑sex couples seeking legal protections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-equality/) [Marriage Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-think-363655/) [Marriages Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriages-discrimination-4211859/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sex Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-unions-2020590/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [Unions Marriages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions-marriages-996947/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [The reclusive man who marries the gregarious woman, the timid woman who marries the courageous man, the idealist who marries the realist we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-reclusive-man-who-marries-the-gregarious-woman-the-timid-woman/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [“Although relatively more open to same-sex unions, contemporary American culture nevertheless bristles with a need to categorize human eroticism, a force that by its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/although-relatively-more-open-to-same-sex-unions-contemporary/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“While it may be true that allowing single-sex unions will not immediately and directly affect all existing marriages, the real question is how it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lds-church/while-it-may-be-true-that-allowing-single-sex-unions-will-not/) [LDS Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lds-church/) > [I really can't imagine how anyone could, in good conscience, oppose the proposition that the states should be able to deny the status of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-t-canady/i-really-can-t-imagine-how-anyone-could-in-good-conscience-oppose-the/) [Charles T. Canady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-t-canady/) > [“Pope John Paul II returned to this theme, condemning state-recognized same-sex unions as parodic versions of authentic families, “based on individual egoism” rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-edelman/pope-john-paul-ii-returned-to-this-theme-condemning-state-recognized/) [Lee Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-edelman/) > [I don't support gay marriage, but I also don't support a constitutional amendment banning it. However, I do support same sex unions that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-casey-jr/i-don-t-support-gay-marriage-but-i-also-don-t-support-a/) [Bob Casey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-casey-jr/) > [It is each American's constitutional right to marry the person they love, no matter what state they inhabit. No state should decide who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/it-is-each-american-s-constitutional-right-to-marry-the-person-they/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [It is not discrimination to treat different things differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/it-is-not-discrimination-to-treat-different-things-differently/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [I've never understood why we would want to deny all the joys - and the challenges - of marriage to anyone. Which is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-ve-never-understood-why-we-would-want-to-deny-all-the-joys-and-the/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I have been to this point unwilling to sign on to same-sex marriage primarily because of my understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-been-to-this-point-unwilling-to-sign-on-to-same-sex-marriage/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think it's unfortunate that there exists only one path in America to complete social legitimacy, and that is marriage. I think, for instance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-think-it-s-unfortunate-that-there-exists-only-one-path-in-america/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [In the spring of 1936, I was introduced by friends to Jean Tatlock. In the autumn, I began to court her. We were at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/in-the-spring-of-1936-i-was-introduced-by-friends-to-jean-tatlock-in/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [As to marriage, I think the intercourse of heart and mind may be fully enjoyed without entering into this partnership of daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/as-to-marriage-i-think-the-intercourse-of-heart-and-mind-may-be-fully/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [I love marriage. I think it's a wonderful institution and it's the most important decision you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isla-fisher/i-love-marriage-i-think-it-s-a-wonderful-institution-and-it-s-the/) [Isla Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isla-fisher/) > [“After about 20 years of marriage, I think I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of what women want. And I think the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/after-about-20-years-of-marriage-i-think-i-m-finally-starting-to/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) ## More by Maggie Gallagher > [At the heart of the gay marriage argument is an untruth: unions of two men or women are not the same as unions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/at-the-heart-of-the-gay-marriage-argument-is-an-untruth-unions-of-two/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Governor Christie's decision today violates the individual drive of men and women who no longer want to be tormented by unwanted homosexual desires. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/governor-christie-s-decision-today-violates-the-individual-drive-of/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Europe, which gave us the idea of same-sex marriage, is a dying society, with birthrates 50 percent below replacement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/europe-which-gave-us-the-idea-of-same-sex-marriage-is-a-dying-society/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Black America knows better than anyone else the high price children pay for the sexual agendas of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/black-america-knows-better-than-anyone-else-the-high-price-children/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Getting married is the boldest and most idealistic thing that most of us will ever do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/getting-married-is-the-boldest-and-most-idealistic-thing-that-most-of/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Charter schools have a far higher proportion of teachers who are not certified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/charter-schools-have-a-far-higher-proportion-of-teachers-who-are-not/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Marketers are out there trying to figure out how to get your money out of your child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/marketers-are-out-there-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-get-your-money/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [To imply that religious believers have no right to engage moral questions in the public square or at the ballot is simply to establish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/to-imply-that-religious-believers-have-no-right-to-engage-moral/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Charter schools are public schools that operate, to a certain extent, outside the system. They have more control over their teachers, curriculum and resources.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/charter-schools-are-public-schools-that-operate-to-a-certain-extent/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [It is not discrimination to treat different things differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/it-is-not-discrimination-to-treat-different-things-differently/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [When men and women fail to form stable marriages, the result is a vast expansion of government attempts to cope with the terrible social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/when-men-and-women-fail-to-form-stable-marriages-the-result-is-a-vast/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [The strongest results were in Florida and Texas. In just one year in a Texas charter school, an average student gained 7 percentile points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/the-strongest-results-were-in-florida-and-texas-in-just-one-year-in-a/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [In today's world, marketers reach inside the home and attempt to figure out not what's good for your daughter, because that is not their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/in-today-s-world-marketers-reach-inside-the-home-and-attempt-to/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [Whatever their defects, Christian fundamentalists have lived peacefully among us in America for several hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/whatever-their-defects-christian-fundamentalists-have-lived/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [I am just an ordinary Catholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/i-am-just-an-ordinary-catholic/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) [Explore all 34 Maggie Gallagher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first question for me is: Are same-sex unions ‘marriages’? I’m against discrimination, I’m against hatred, I’m in favor of marriage equality, but I don’t think same-sex marriage is marriage. Therefore I think it is wrong for the government to insist, through the use of law, that we all believe that same-sex unions are marriages.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maggie Gallagher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-sex-unions-marriages-i-m/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-sex-unions-marriages-i-m/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/maggie-gallagher-18846_believe_the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-se_1292058.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first question for me is: Are same-sex unions ‘marriages’? I’m against discrimination, I’m against…” — Maggie Gallagher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Maggie Gallagher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first question for me is:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-sex-unions-marriages-i-m/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/the-first-question-for-me-is-are-same-sex-unions-marriages-i-m/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```