It is so much more than politics and a lifestyle being "validated". I'm assuming you have no idea what it's like to be discriminated against for who you are.
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There is no discrimination at work here.
Marriage is a sacrament going back many thousands of years binding a man and woman together - supposedly permanently, but nowadays we like to cheapen the meaning of marriage - into wedlock where they are exclusive to one another, and form the core of the human familial unit.
A homosexual pairing can not accomplish this. It has no reproductive value. It is not the same thing, nor should it be treated as such, no matter how much the "gender identity" politics/wishcasting of the world may change.
You don't even have to be religious to realize how this rails against nature itself. Darwinism also precludes this idea, and recognizes it as ultimately self-destructive to the race. Why should it be honored as is actual marriage?
Not that anyone honors it anymore, but we won't make any societal progress by doubling down on that.
I am the same as you 100% straight and 100% for same sex marriages, I'm just bringing up reasons why SE needs to be careful around the subject, if they do it right brilliant, if they do it wrong it could mean disaster for not only FFXIV but SE as a whole in some countries.
Live your life not the life of others!
If it offends you to see such a thing there is an unlimited amount of directions you can avert your gaze so you don't have to see it. Stopping the act of marriage won't destroy the love two people feel for each other it just alienates them for no reason.
I think having crafted wedding (or joining) items that one can trade to any gender they want as a marriage (or union) proposal or in the actual marriage (or union) would be a good comprimise to having GM sponsering either opposite or same sex marriages (or unions)
For rings, they are completely statless and the item becomes untradeable after being traded. Clothing and accessories can be made and sold/traded freely. Hopefully with the addition of signatures from the crafter on the crafted item, we can add a few lines of text too, so there can be custom wedding (or joining) vows on them.
This way SE just gives players the choice on what gender they are going to marry (or join with) without being directly involved. Not saying that is the best choice, but I think it is a good alternative. This way the ~vast minority~ wont whine about things that wont even involve them. It would also be easier not involved 'waiting in line' to get married (or joined) by a GM.
During the Valentine's day event, same-sex characters could become the most loving couples on the server. The system didn't differentiate in any way, and Yoshi nor any in-game system acknowledged a "difference" in either way. And because of this, any potential haters either didn't notice or didn't care, because it could be chalked up to "it's just a game"
http://i.imgur.com/kvkoS.jpg
I wish they could have just quietly added it ; ;
But now that they've publicly stated that they may add it later, they've simultaneously acknowledged a difference, and that is the same as being against it because it places it in a different light and encourages unnecessary debate over whether our fictional sexless Barbie and Ken dolls can get married.
I mean the fact that at least 50% of MMO players play as a different gender than their own already slaps the issue in it's face in a realistic sense. Haters are quick to bash same-sex options, but they conveniently ignore that fact that most of the population (themselves included) is trans-gendered.