The cover story in this week's New York Times Magazine looks at a few gay male couples in Massachusetts, where same-sex unions are legal.

The tag line is, "Why would gay men in their 20s rush to the altar?" The answer appears to be, in most cases, because the two men love each other and want to make a full commitment, and also because they want children. Interestingly, some couples think monogamy is an unnecessary aspect of marriage – you know, like both the current and former Governors of New York State. (Sometimes I think that Howard Stern and myself are two of the only husbands in New York who stay faithful to their wives. I kid.)

Whether it was intentional or just coincidence, the men profiled seem really gay. If the photos didn't get you, consider this quote:

“I beg of you — please eat a tuna roll!” Joshua barked, circulating around the spacious apartment in a blue blazer, slim-fitting corduroys and a pair of royal blue house slippers with his initials. “The fish is not going to eat itself!”

Indeed. (Insert requisite "not that there's anything wrong with that" joke here.)

There are some sad bits, such as the guy that wonders if his parents will come to the wedding. Other highlights include words I'd never heard before ("heteronormative"), and decisions of just who is going to do the housework (since we all know that us "straights" have that all figured out – wimmen belong in the kitchen! Right honey? Ow! Honey, why are you hitting me with a baseball bat? All I did was ask you to get me a beer…)

All kidding aside, the couples interviewed come across as just that – couples. Thankfully, the political powers that be have kept the "constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage" thing out of the campaign, at least so far. Still, very few states recognize even civil unions between same-sex couples. If people want to get married, let them get married, right? As long as they stick to one spouse at a time, that is.

image: nytimes.com