Steve Jones argues that homosexual relationships imitate "the existing brand" of marriage in the same way that counterfeit shoes imitate the New Balance brand name ("Counterfeit brand," Forum, June 9). Jones claims that since the beginning of time the marriage brand has been defined as being between two humans of opposite sex, and that it is unacceptable to change it to mean something different.

If Jones is a Mormon, Joseph Smith created a new brand of religion by breaking away from the standard faiths. Is the LDS Church "counterfeit"?

If Jones is patriotic, the brave men and women of the Revolution created a new brand of country by separating from England. Is the United States "counterfeit"?

Does Jones value the respect and dignity of every human being? We need to expand the terms "respect" and "dignity" to include same-sex couples.

Change in society and culture is vital to our world. Homosexual marriage is not counterfeit, and it does not make traditional marriage any less meaningful. I am proud that my birth father is gay, and the love between him and his partner is not fake or counterfeit. It should not be compared to a knockoff pair of sneakers.

Helena R. Duncan

Cottonwood Heights