We agree with Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco that marriage between a man and a woman is indeed a timeless institution. In her July 23 op-ed “The real marriage revolution,” Farah Stockman seems to think that citing a history of polygamy throughout the world contributes to an argument for same-sex marriage. In reality, it accomplishes the reverse, as even polygamy is based on the procreativity and complementarity of the opposite sexes. Marriages between two men or two women are wholly different in kind from the standard of one man, one woman, whereas polygamy is different only in degree. Stockman’s argument does demonstrate that if same-sex marriages are allowed, there will be nothing to stop the legal recognition of polygamy.
History has proven the value of real marriage.