It’s much the same as the visceral reaction to Same-sex Marriage. For years social conservatives fought any kind of recognition of same sex relationships. The incidents of partners being denied access to their dying loved ones hospital bed, of the legal contortions a gay couple had to go through for estate planning, the inability to have their partners collect pensions or other benefits were numerous. Social conservatives fought hard to make sure legally same-sex partners were treated as nothing more than roommates. When the push for gay marriage gained steam, and it became clear in many jurisdictions that it was going to happen, suddenly social conservatives became oh so reasonable “Let them have civil partnerships, but don’t call it MARRIAGE!” Perhaps if social conservatives had been more humane, there may not have been the push for complete equality betwen heterosexual and homosexual unions.