No, allow civil unions but don’t call it marriage

Homosexuality is a natural occurrence and is not something that should be shamed or punished. Gay marriage should be called marriage, because that is what it is. It is a romantic partnership between two people, the same as a straight couple, and gay marriages should not be treated as different or 'less valid' than straight marriage just because it is between two members of the same sex.

What right do we have to say same sex marriage is not the same as male and female marriage. It shouldnt matter the gender. The principals behind the marriage is still the same...

Marriage is between two people who love each other. Point blank period, who are we to stop someone from marrying the one they love. All couples of any gender or sexual orientation SHOULD be allowed to marry whom ever they want

All couples of any sexual identification should be able to get married OFFICIALLY and legally if they choose too.

Gay marraige is not something to be ashamed of, it should be seen as purely marriage, an arrangement of commitment between two persons that love each other.

Religious interpretation and all its shortfalls should not create consequences for well-meaning and loving couples that want to celebrate their love in the same way as everyone else.

I disagree a marriage is a marriage no matter the genders. Same sex relationships are still relationships and they deserve to be allowed to call it marriage as a basic human right as anyone else

Well I belive it’s not fair people can marry whoever they like whether they are gay bi ect and yes it should still be called marriage

once again, it doesn’t bother you or your life and if it does you need to grow up and focus on yourself :)

This denies any aspect of romantic love or devotion between gay couples seeking a stable, monogamous and permanent relationship. Why reduce marriage to a mere legal arrangement for 10% of the population? That is discrimination, and a double standard.

In the event that civil unions provide the same rights and benefits as marriage, calling Gay Marriage civil unions is effectively saying to gay couples that while we grant you the same rights, we don't view your relationship with your partner as the same as a heterosexual relationship, when in reality their relationship is not made less important simply due to it being a homosexual one.

It doesn't affect you in any small way. If you don't want a gay marriage, don't get one. Your (antiquated and narrow-minded) opinions should not affect the ability for someone else to get married.

As above. Anyone should be allowed to legally marry regardless of gender. Shouldn’t even be up for discussion

Marriage is between two people who love each other, leave them alone if it doesn’t concern you. All couples of any gender or sexual orientation SHOULD be allowed to marry whom ever they want

p1: Theres no justification to deny the will of consenting adults unless they are impeding the will of others
p2: Consenting homosexual adults getting married does not impede the will of others
C: There is no justification to deny homosexual adults getting married

Official marriage should be accessible to everyone, regardless of sexual and gender identity. They should hold the same weight and be offered the same level of protection and recognition in the eyes of the law.

Why are you locking someone out of marriage just because of who they're attracted to? Why can't they just call it marriage too?

same sex marriage should be the same as heterosexual marriage in the eyes of the law, we should not police who people can love (given appropriate age and consent) and how they choose to represent that love.

If two people love each pther then they should be given the right to marry, it is a commitment between two people that should not have to be regulated by requiring one of each gender

Gay marriage is exactly the same as straight marriage, two people celebrating love and making a commitment to one another. Why should they have to call it anything else?

If you think gay marige is against the sanctity of marriage, you should ban divorce and married at first sight as they are equally making a mockery of the of marriage.

All couples regardless of who they love or how they identify should be able to legally marry. If it's not your marriage keep your nose out of it.

Marriage is no longer simply a religious process, and therefore should be acceptable for all who are willing to partake in the practice.

Marriage should be allowed between two people of any gender if they are of age and wanting a marriage.

Marriage is traditionally a union between a man and a woman that love each other. The only difference between a traditional viewpoint and a more current viewpoint lies in the two people getting married. The choice of marriage, based in the love the two people share, is still a choice made from the same love regardless of gender or sexuality.

It’s archaic to say marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Let people do what they want; tune it out of you don’t agree with it.

It’s silly. Marriage is a construct that has been kept together by the government. Why should we make a different category for different gender combinations

I disagree a marriage is a marriage no matter the genders. Same sex relationships are still relationships and they deserve to be allowed to call it marriage because that is essentially what it is.

Marriage is nothing but a contract, and should be allowed to be entered into by any parties of sound mind and legal age

People who love each other should be allowed the full rights and protection that a legal marriage gives.

All couples of any sexual identification should be able to get married OFFICIALLY and legally if they choose

Not cool, any couple regardless of sexual orientation should be entitled to the same title as anyone else

Marriage is a construct of love between to people with financial and tax benefits and should not be gender specific

by not calling it marriage you're preventing certain rights/privileges from being received by queer individuals, it would be easier to take away these rights from them as they wouldn't be considered as 'official' as marriage.

What would be the point if the result is the same? New Zealand is no longer a Christian country (majority religously unaffiliated) and should not be confined to religous terms.

Seriously what difference will it make? A gay couple in a civil union would still show affection and love each other the same way they would if it were called marriage. Just let them be married, it’s not hurting anyone

**** you. That's my counter. Don't allow discrimination, don't give it an inch or even consider it. There's no point arguing about it, it just gives them attention.

What someone else chooses to do with their life has no true long term effect on anyone else, the term marriage has changed significantly over time and it is no longer about just a man and a woman.

Marriage is, legally,, not that different from a civil union, and many queer couples may desire the ability to engage in a true marriage, if only to say that they are married. Why shouldn't they at least have that option for themselves?

Christianity's history of popularity in the world has made "marriage" a universally accepted concept that has long evolved past its original traditions (which were borrowed anyway). Since many other Christian concepts have also been bastardized, there is absolutely no reason to keep this as a theological practice. "Marriage" should no longer be considered synonymous with spirituality/religion, and should be legal for all persons regardless of sex, gender, or race.

If allowing a legally recognised connection, why have less option available compared to hetero couples

The age old argument on the prohibition of gay marriage cannot simply be rationalised with someone who has the implanted ideal on what marriage should and can’t be. In a nutshell, civil unions were put in place to segregate same-sex couples from legally wedded couples before gay marriage was made legal. In todays climate, we see many conservative ideals appealing for the re-establishment of this civil union marriage, even though the there is no real restrictions on rights for gay couples and instead a title enforced to seperate religious beliefs from the happiness a couple deserves.

You can boil it down to a case of "Separate but Equal". Separate but equal has never been equal. Not all gay people are Atheists and if they wish to take a life partner in what they believe to be a sacred right or custom they should. Not to mention that marriage has a social value and denying same-sex couples the right to marry can be seen as de-legitimizing their relationships .

Marriage was created as a means of selling daughters of nobles and royals to other royals and nobles to avoid wars or gain allies. Most modern conceptions of marriage claiming its religious or sacred are therefore arguing on a basis of propaganda. If two consenting adults want to commit their lives to each other then their gender, sex, race, and religion should have nothing to do with their right to do so.

Ridiculous. All couples of any sexual identification should be able to get married OFFICIALLY and legally if they choose too.

So, you believe same sex couples do not have the right to celebrate their love in the same way as straight couples?

Remove marriages as a government institution and relegate it to a purely social one. The government has no business in anyone's marriages or in supporting any one particular cultural tradition of unionship.

Why not go all the way at that point, it's a waste of time and effort not to, legalise marriage it's not like marriage means anything anymore

Dumb - religion should stick out of civil matters. Who cares what it's called and why should it be relevent over a defacto relationship anyway.

If a gay couple is deeply in love and don't just want to be 'dating' they should be aloud to marry each other, if 'straight' people can why can't gays?