Chris Christie is obese. Governor Christie's wife, Mary Pat, is not obese. The causes of Governor Christie's weight problem are myriad, but probably involve some combination of what he eats, how often and in what ways he is physically active, and some genetic predisposition towards obesity. We know now that there is a very significant genetic component to weight gain and fat distribution, which can hinder the weight control tactics of even the most disciplined dieter and exerciser. Therefore, much like a homosexual man or woman is born gay but can choose to act or not act on that essential part of who they are, Governor Christie's actions as a human make him "fat", but he was most likely born with a high likelihood of being fat as an adult.
Nevertheless, he is a fat man married to a thin woman. Now, I personally have no problem with fat people. Some of my best friends are fat. My own father came out as fat after being a closeted thin man up until college, and the whole family has supported him in his struggle to reconcile his obesity with an otherwise wonderful, productive, and fulfilling life. So don't get me wrong, this has nothing to do with how I personally feel about fat people.
I just don't think that fat people should be allowed to marry thin people.
In fact, if fat people insist on having the right to marry thin people, I think each state should hold a referendum where the people can decide whether fat-thin marriage will be allowed in that state. Allow me to explain my position...
The institution of marriage is not just a legal construct: marriage is the joining of two people in a state-sanctioned union that promotes an ideal form of societal organization. Marriage encourages fiscal, moral, and social stability. Marriage is the ideal relationship from which people can start and raise a happy family. Marriage strengthens communities, and should be encouraged between thin people who love each other very much.
But obesity tears families apart. Even though being fat doesn't guarantee that a person will develop any number of horrible diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, it greatly increases the risk. How can we allow fat-thin marriage when the fat person might get sick and run up huge medical bills, ruining the economic future of his or her family? What about the effects of such infiltrations of fatness into the family unit? Might some poor child see their father or mother cramming junk food into their mouth and sitting on the couch and catch "the fat", suddenly mirroring the destructive behavior? How many broken homes will fat-thin marriage create, where the fat parent of a child is dead or sick, leaving the thin spouse to pick up the slack? How much should we expect the government to pay for a fat husband or wife who can't work because of their lifestyle choice (and maybe their genetic composition)? We taxpayers have to foot the bill for public assistance and marriage tax breaks for these couples, you know.
Not to mention the fact that these fat-thin marriages are just not natural. Have you ever seen a huge fat guy and his tiny wife and thought, "Now there are two people who just fit together perfectly"?? No way.
However, this doesn't mean I think fat people don't deserve rights. I fully support civil unions for fat-thin and fat-fat relationships, where couples who love each other very much would be allowed to visit each other in the hospital, possess property together, and otherwise live in loving relationships. That's not to say I am in favor of fat adoption, which is a separate issue and could bring a child into a dangerous and unstable world, threatening the child's upbringing. But that's a whole 'nother story, am I right?!
But look, I know times are changing. Even though I'm personally opposed to fat-thin marriage, I would think a lot of state legislatures would pass laws granting these couples the right to legally marry. I'm just saying, let's let the voters decide. Activist courts and state governments can impose radical social change on the populace, without regard to the public's mood on a controversial issue. How is that democratic? Let's put fat-thin marriage to a referendum in every state and allow citizens to have their voices heard about how these couples live, even if they are in a thin-thin marriage. That's the only fair way for civil rights issues to be decided, and will prove to everyone that this isn't about discrimination! It's just about favoring one particular, most traditional, most familiar way of being married over other, less traditional, and less familiar ways of getting married.
I'm sure Governor Christie would understand why people should be allowed to vote on the validity of his marriage, even if his obesity is just who he is, and even if he can't help who he loves.