Persecution occurs when someone is not allowed to visit their dying spouse in a hospital because they are of the "wrong" gender.

Persecution occurs when the spouse dies, and her partner is deprived of any part of her estate.

Persecution occurs when we bestow a host of tax benefits upon married couples, but only if they are of the "correct" genders.

Persecution occurs when gay couples are denied corporate health insurance benefits automatically conferred to straight couples.

And persecution occurs when bigots justify these things by saying that gay couples don't "produce children".

Thank you for illustrating my point so vividly.