Discussion for article #232120
Let’s face it, we live in a disgustingly materialistic society that equates love with buying expensive stuff.
The main point could be said more easily. Yes we have more choices and yes some of those choices could be seen as “retrograde”. What’s the solution? Prohibit Tiffany from propagating its commerce/values? Not giving choices like these to gay people? Enforcing some political agenda if people choose to marry? They avoid the truly thorny stuff like most polemicists; they are essentially very conservative.
Those of you who are familiar with my commenting history can attest that I am pretty far left. But wow. “Marriage-Wedding Industrial Complex”? ~Shakes head and walks away~
The concept of Marriage is neither exclusionary, nor retrograde. This is ridiculous. Are there companies that profit off of the tradition? Of course. No matter what tradition we have to pledge ourselves to another, arguably the most powerful expression one person could make, there will be someone to take advantage and make money off of it. So we should tell people that we shouldn’t express our love in universally, cross-culturally understood ways (gift giving)?
The rift between the TPM editorials/new reporting and its opinion pieces, from a ideological standpoint, is huge. It is like two wildly different sites. I have not agreed with even one opinion piece in months. And yet I will keep clicking on them because I click on everything TPM posts. Gotten some really good discussions out of the comment boards on them though.
First, the history and eventual triumph of the gay movement from, say, 1980 to the present has been merely scratched and, with the resurgence of the radical, religious right, the marriage ‘triumph’ is not, yet, set in stone.
Two other aspects in the hunt for the public standing of marriage, the exciting and emotional adventure and the force of law, could have had a mention…
Jewelers, for me, have been a mixed bag but the writer must realize that while diamonds are a girl’s best friend for a gay man of any economic background they can be a “such devoted sister”.
When I bought a diamond for my partner’s ring 18 years ago from a local diamond merchant here in the Enchanted Forest’s conservative middle there were some eye rolls that eased once my check cleared. But, my favorite story about jewelers and gay people took place about 30 years ago at Harry Winston’s in Manhattan. My partner, an extremely handsome fellow, had been buzzed in and was browsing. A $300K platinum and diamond necklace caught his eye and he asked the clerk if he could try it on…they let him. It made his day and he still talks about it. Bravo Harry!
Acceptance like marriage is a dream we older gays grew up imagining and turned into reality. Diamonds are also dreams made real and someday in a much better world more dreams will come true.
It’s not “retrograde,” it’s Tiffany.
Did the author even look at the ad? No diamonds advertised
https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/tiffany-and-co.jpg?quality=80&w=1600
Diamonds, meh. But definitely spring for platinum.