To the editor:

Kansas residents should be aware that what is proposed in the “gay marriage” amendment goes well beyond banning “gay marriage.” The amendment can be downloaded from the Lawrence Journal-World Web site (http://ljworld.com/section/gaymarriage).

Kansans should ask themselves these questions about the amendment:

1. How is “marriage” defined? Does the definition include a civil marriage with a judge, or does it only pertain to church marriages?

2. How are “man” and “woman” defined? What about individuals who have had sex changes by surgery and hormones? If these folks are not allowed to marry, then what about genetically XY individuals who develop from embryogenesis as sterile females (androgen insensitivity syndrome) or XX individuals who develop as sterile males (pseudo-hermaphroditism)? The frequency of these conditions (around three in 100,000) indicates that many people with these conditions live in Kansas. Possibly, the definition of “man” and “woman” is “people who can successfully procreate via sexual intercourse.” If this is the case, then what about infertile men and women?

3. An explanatory statement in the amendment reads: “The proposed constitutional amendment also would prohibit the state from recognizing any other legal relationship that would entitle the parties in the relationship to the rights or incidents of marriage.” Does this mean that an individual’s right to enter into otherwise legal contracts dealing with things such as power of attorney will be restricted?

Kansas residents should read the amendment in its entirety and ask themselves these questions before voting on April 5.

Erik Lundquist,

Lawrence