NYT:

Mr. Rubio, who is seeking to win over conservatives, is seldom asked about gay rights at his campaign stops. But courting voters in a crowded New Hampshire diner on the eve of the primary is an unpredictable business. The voter, who identified himself as Timothy Kierstead, was seated at a table with his mother and his husband when Mr. Rubio walked up behind him, according to pool reports of the encounter. During a brief conversation, Mr. Kierstead, 50, told Mr. Rubio that he was married but complained that the senator’s position amounted to him declaring that “we don’t matter.” Mr. Rubio, who was standing with his youngest son, Dominick, 8, by his side, gently disagreed. “No, I just believe marriage is between one man and one woman.”

“Well,” replied Mr. Kierstead, “that’s your belief.”

Mr. Rubio continued: “I think that’s what the law should be. And if you don’t agree you should have the law changed by a legislature.” ... Mr. Rubio decided to conclude their conversation. “I respect your view,” he said, patting Mr. Kierstead on the shoulder and starting to walk away. Mr. Kierstead was unsatisfied. “Typical politician,” he said loudly. “Walk away.”

First: Thank you, Mr. Kierstead, for getting in Marco Rubio's face about his anti-queer bullshit. And for the record: same-sex couples won the right to marry in New Hampshire after the legislature in that state passed a marriage equality bill in 2009, which was signed into law by the state's governor. So Rubio, if he wasn't a pandering, anti-queer bigotbot, should actually support marriage equality in New Hampshire—and Washington state, for that matter. He doesn't, of course, because his beef with marriage equality isn't about process. It's about the evangelical vote.

Second: Marco Catholic-Mormon-Catholic/Baptist Rubio is free to believe same-sex marriages aren't valid—even as same-sex couples legally wed—just as many Catholics refuse to recognize the validity of legal divorce. But Rubio isn't saying, "Yeah, I think marriage is between a man and a woman—but you do you, Mr. Kierstead." Rubio is saying, "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman—and if I'm elected president, Mr. Kierstead, I am going to do everything in my power to strip you and others like you of your right to marry."

So Marco Rubio does not, in actual fact, respect Mr. Kierstead's views on marriage. Rubio wants to impose his views on Mr. Kierstead.

Third: Contra the New York Times, being confronted by actual queer people is a predictable business these days. It's something anti-queer candidates can count on. Rubio was confronted yesterday. Ted Cruz was confronted by Ellen Page at the Iowa State Fair this summer. Ben Carson was confronted by a lesbian at a town hall event on Staten Island. Rick Santorum was confronted by Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Rick Perry was confronted by a 14-year-old bisexual girl at an event in a small town in Iowa.

State fairs, small towns, Iowa, diners in New Hampshire, cable news programs, Staten Island—rightwing candidates used to be able to peddle their anti-LGBT bigotry in all of those places without fear of being confronted by an actual queer person. Those days are over.