Today the perception of family life consists of a picturesque scene with a white picket fence surrounding a house with a Golden Retriever playing with the children in the backyard. This setting has quite a bit changed, and according to Sullivan, the judicial systems needs to recognize atypical lifestyles of family living. Andrew Sullivan, editor of the New Republic presents to the reader a case in which the New York City Judicial System faced earlier this year. This case dealt with the rights of ownership after a partner of a gay relationship deceased. The Judge ruled that the gay partner is considered a family member only on the basis that there was an "interwoven social life" and ''emotional commitment'' to each other. This quandary enters the ideas of "domestic partnership laws." Sullivan explains how he is against domestic partnership laws and how he believes marriage is a conservative step towards for gays. Sullivan attempts to convince the reader to agree with his argument as to why a move towards gay marriages is a positive stride for society as a whole. He begins his argument with the ruling of the New York rent-control case.
     Sullivan presents us with another argument as to why he feels domestic partnerships need to be abolished and why the government doesn’t allow traditional marriage for gays. ''The concept of domestic partnership chips away at the prestige of traditional relationships and undermines the priority we give them.'' I agree on how Sullivan feels the government won’t allow for gays to be on the level of traditional marriages as heterosexuals. Sullivan seems to have used this argument as one based on character. He appeals to the reader by showing how just as heterosexuals; gays feel the need to have the status of being married as well. Sullivan goes on and presents the reader with a values argument which shows the reader how gays are portrayed as. He goes on to present us with the stereotype gay, "Gay leadership clings to notions of gay life as essentially outsider, antibourgeois, and radical." The idea of gay marriage is defended by those who choose to percieve the very idea is as similar as the idea of marriage between a man and a woman- nothing else.