Letter: Gay married couples have myriad reasons for tying knot

So Amendment 3 co-author Lynn Wardle thinks my husband and I, plus the other 1,300-plus same-sex couples who chose to get legally married are "opportunists" ("Utah won't honor gay marriages," Tribune, Jan. 9). He also went on to say we did it as a political act, to create headlines and to generate attention.

He's actually partially correct. We did take this "opportunity" to legally validate our 30-year relationship for all those reasons, and so much more.

We did it so I could get health insurance through my husband's employer. We did it so we could take advantage of the savings many straight married couples enjoy when filing joint tax returns. We did it to provide guaranteed hospital visitation rights, to avoid inheritance tax penalties on the assets we've built together, to protect each other and to be legally responsible for each other. But, most of all, we did it for love.

Marrying is a political act. Creating headlines and generating attention are essential as we fight for our constitutional and civil rights. Thank you, Mr. Wardle, for pointing this out.

Daren Young

Salt Lake City