during this kind of revolutionary moment of gay politics in the late 1960's and early 1970's, carl whitman, and activist in san francisco, wrote in his gay manifesto that marriage is a prime example of a straight institution fought with role-playing. traditional marriages the run, oppressive institution, a contract which smothers both people, denies needs, and places impossible demands on those people. gay people must stop gauging their self-respect by how well they mimic straight marriages. he goes on to suggest that they liberation -- that gay liberation can offer new ways of seeking about relationship. he says we are all looking for a feeling of belonging and being needed, but these needs can be met through a variety of living conditions and social relationships. things we need to get away from, he says, r, one, exclusiveness, property attitudes toward each other, a mutual pack against the rest of the world. so he is rebelling against the notion of monogamy and lifetime exclusivity or thinking about your spouse as your property, or someone you have control over or own. he says we need t