Quoting JiLLiAN.:" ohhh. so what would be "unprotected" had you not gotten married? sorry, i just don't know anything about it."

Soooo much. That bill really smurfed people.
Say me and DH weren't married, and he wanted to carry insurance on my son who is not biologically his, but he's been in his life since he was 7 days old. He would not be able to do that.
It also affects domestic violence laws, caused a lot of cases to be thrown out of court and nothing happened to the abuser because of it.
They just made it look like it was strictly against gay marriage, and because of the smurffy wording of it, people interpreted it wrong and didn't read further in.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Legendary Amanda:</b>" Yeah, I think you can be in love with out being married, in fact you shouldn't get married until you're ... [snip!] ... easier to protect each other. Legally and otherwise. So no, I think if you were really committed, you'd want to be married."</blockquote>


 

<blockquote><b>Quoting Vodka Knockers:</b>" No, it makes it so that the only legally recognized union is a married man and woman. It affects unmarried couples, straight or gay."</blockquote>


Tbh common law "marriages" never really meant smurf anywhere. It seemed like it did in some places, but as soon as something was contested the common law spouse had no say, no rights, no nothing pretty much everywhere in the world.