I kinda figured out wasn’t removed for bigotry reasons

Almost undoubtedly, some committee members objected to the language based on that "Traditional Family" Catholic crap. But, like a good and functional bureaucracy, they found a way to compromise in such a manner that egos were massaged without sacrificing civil liberties.

Democrats sometimes almost kinda-sorta flirt with doing this shit. I remember the Clintons making noise about Civil Unions in the 90s, which would have been a big step up for gay couples, especially in states that straight up criminalized their relationships - but then Bill ended up signing DOMA and DADT rather than a Civil Unions marriage bill because they all suck.

I only wish we had Cuban-style democracy.