THE FUTURE OF MARRIAGE & FAMILY
IT’S TIME TO BUILD SOMETHING BETTER
In Chapter One of Sonders Rising: Awakening, we meet Mira and Jo—partners who are building their world together when an opportunity poses to disrupt beliefs that hold true for many in this world. Their story isn’t just about a discovery of history; it’s about navigating a world that often asks them to justify their existence.
They are married. They are committed. And yet, the world around them is shifting—raising the question of whether their legal recognition will last in the midst of shifting political and spiritual truths.
Their story mirrors real-life headlines unfolding today.
THE TIRESOME DEBATE OVER MARRIAGE
IT’S FAR FROM OVER
Across the country, lawmakers are moving to challenge marriage equality—with some openly calling for the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
In Michigan, Representative Josh Schriver has introduced a resolution urging the Court to repeal marriage equality altogether.
In Idaho, the House of Representatives has passed a similar resolution.
Justice Clarence Thomas has already hinted at revisiting marriage rights, stating that cases like Obergefell should be reexamined.
At the same time, states like California, Colorado, and Hawaii have rushed to pass protections—preparing for the possibility that marriage equality could be stripped away at the federal level.
The country is bracing for another battle.
But here’s the real question:
Why are we still fighting over the definition of marriage when we could be building a better system altogether?
FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE THAN MARRIAGE
JUST LOOK AT THE STORIES WE LOVE
This debate isn’t just about politics. It’s about people.
And we’ve always understood that family comes in many forms.
Think about the shows we grew up with—the ones that defined family as something bigger than just marriage.
The Golden Girls showed us that chosen family matters just as much as traditional family.
Kate & Allie featured divorced women raising children together, proving that commitment isn’t always about romance.
Full House introduced us to a widowed dad raising his kids with his best friends, showing that families don’t need to fit a mold to be real.
For decades, we’ve celebrated these stories.
So why do our laws still insist that family = marriage?
Why are we still acting like marriage is the only way to gain legal recognition when we know that families take so many different forms?
THE EXTREMES
BOTH SIDES ARE STUCK IN THE WRONG FIGHT
Right now, we’re stuck in a culture war that’s missing the point.
👈 The Conservative Argument: “Marriage is Sacred.”
Some argue that marriage is a religious institution and should never have been expanded to include same-sex couples.
But if marriage is truly sacred, why is the government involved at all?
Think about it.
Every time the Supreme Court rules on marriage, conservatives claim the government is “redefining” it.
If marriage belongs to faith and tradition, shouldn’t it be private—outside government control altogether?
Right now, conservatives are actually handing marriage over to politicians instead of keeping it where they believe it belongs.
Wouldn’t it be better to remove marriage from government entirely—allowing religions, families, and individuals to define it for themselves?
👉 The Progressive Argument: “Love is Love.”
On the other side, progressives are fighting to protect marriage equality—but they’re missing something important.
Why should marriage be the only path to legal rights?
Right now, our legal system forces relationships into a marriage-or-nothing model:
A divorced dad raising kids with his best friend? No legal recognition.
Two elderly friends who rely on each other? No protections.
Siblings or cousins taking care of family members? No legal status.
If equality is the goal, why stop at marriage as the only way to be recognized?
Instead of fighting to control marriage, shouldn’t we be building a system that protects all families—no matter what they look like?
WHO DOES THIS AFFECT?
MORE PEOPLE THAN YOU THINK.
This isn’t just about LGBTQ+ rights or young couples—it’s about anyone who doesn’t fit the traditional marriage model.
Maybe it’s your best friend, who has been with their partner for 20 years but still fears losing their rights.
Maybe it’s your mother, who divorced years ago but now depends on a close companion yet has no legal rights to make medical decisions.
Maybe it’s you…trying to navigate a system that doesn’t align with the way you’ve built your life.
This isn’t just about policy. It’s about stories.
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION: CIVIL UNIONS FOR ALL
AND MARRIAGE BECOMES A PERSONAL CHOICE
It’s time for a better solution—one that moves past the culture war and actually works:
Marriage becomes a personal, religious, and cultural choice.
Civil unions become the legal standard for all partnerships.
Every relationship—whether romantic, platonic, or chosen family—is given the same legal protections.
This approach brings all sides to a more productive discussion:
Conservatives get government out of marriage, protecting it as a religious institution.
Progressives expand legal equality beyond marriage, ensuring all families are recognized.
Centrists see a solution that removes government interference and protects individual rights.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
I DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS—BUT MAYBE WE DO.
I’m not a policy expert. I don’t have a petition to sign or a law to push forward.
But I do know this…this conversation needs to happen.
So I’m opening this up to you, the readers.
📖 What’s your story?
Have you—or someone you love—felt unseen in the way our laws define family?
What would a world look like where all relationships are protected, not just the ones that fit tradition?
What stories need to be heard to truly understand the complexity of marriage, partnership, and family today?
✍️ Join the discussion. Share your insights, stories, and ideas in the comments.
