Today's show is all about queer lives and loves. The US Supreme Court has made it official, and now even the reddest of red states must recognize gay marriage. Forget about the fundamentalist's "God's will" argument against gay marriage, says Susie, and look at the money. Catholic blogger Simcha Fischer caught Susie's attention when she noted that if churches now discriminate against gays, they will lose their tax-exempt status, and therefore, money.

Next, Susie thinks about what is lost with assimilation. If gays can legally marry everywhere, the old days of always being an outsider are over. Many gays created new families and communities that were very different from their birth families and mainstream society. Susie looks at Michael Lindenberger's thoughts on all this, including secret gay bars and repression, in "The Vanishing Terrain of Gay America", a New Republic article.

Then, it's "What's New on Audible". Susie has a great audiobook to share that's in keeping with today's theme: Outlaw Marriages: The Hidden Histories of Fifteen Extraordinary Same-Sex Couples by Roger Streitmatter, narrated by Christopher Hurt. Same sex unions have been around forever, and this book profiles some fascinating and prominent couples who lived together and flourished. Susie loves this book!

Have a question or news story for Susie? You can send your confidential queries and comments to susie@susiebright.com. [Episode 666, July 17, 2015]

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