Marriage ain't marriage anymore...well, thank goodness it has changed. Remember the so-called good ol' days? Marriage was basically an economic proposition, the women needed a man to "bring home the bacon." Men needed women to pop out babies every few years to provide some more hands out in the fields. There were no ways out for women in these old timey marriages(economically women were stuck, and many were living with physical and mental abuse-marriages were hardly egalitarian affairs). The roles for husband and wife were fixed by society through such institutions as church and government.
Today, our expectations for marriage are different. No longer do we need marriage in order to have children or economic security. Women are now viable players in the economic arena(although some advancement is still sorely needed). Marriage is now tied more to individual's emotions and self-wants than to old, traditional roles of husband and wife. That is why divorce rates are high, as we now can simply move on if the relationship no longer satisfies our desires or expectations. However, marriage still represents figuratively a great level of commitment in our eyes that simply the act of "just living together" does not contain. This is what many in the gay community want, the ability to forge such a commitment in their own relationships.
