One of the saddest parts about our society is that these arguments, before the humorous common sense, are the real reasons why people can't accept gay marriages.
Written more for an American audience...
1) Being gay is NOT natural. Real people always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
3) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
5) Straight marriage would be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
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7 comments:
All good points, but I do have a bone to pick with number 2 (without, I hope disagreeing with your overall point, which I think is good)
Tallness is a purely biological trait (diet aside), whereas homosexuality is more than just a simple biological trait, and it has complicated psychological interactions. Research has shown, for example, that women who go to university are more likely to end up homosexual than otherwise. Psychological traits do spread.
So I think the legalization of gay marriage will have an effect on the proportion of the population with gay identity (and probably their behaviour).
Actually, I'd like to expand on my previous comment:
I'm assuming Homosexuality has 3 components (desires, behaviour, identity), and that desires are more or less biologically defined. Gay marriage will make it more acceptable for people to have a gay identity, and engage in gay behaviour, and so we might expect a larger number of people doing so if Gay marriage is endorsed. So fundamental right wing christians would have something to fear here.
On the other hand, I would argue that this is a good thing, because people should be free to express themselves, and gay marriage would hopefully legitimize and validate those who have gay feelings, which is a positive thing. So, Gay marriage will have an effect on the proportion of the population with gay identity, and this is a good thing.
Hmm, I don't know about your comment "Research has shown, for example, that women who go to university are more likely to end up homosexual than otherwise."
Are you trying to point out that if a female goes to university she is more likely to become gay as a result?
The way I'd see it, is that university itself tends to have a much more open feel than society in general, and so possibly the females that go to university are more likly to feel safe to come out, as opposed to if they didn't go to university.
Furthermore, quoting 'research' can always be a bit dangerous. For instance, research has shown also that homosexuality very much related to biology, not environmental factors.
Yeah, but quoting 'research' does make one sound more intelligent... :)
The study I was talking about showed that there was a higher rate of homosexuality amongst women who had gone to university than hadn't. Your interpretation is quite close to how I would have interpreted it - the point I was making is that if university can have this effect, then we would expect that a society that allows gay marriage to have a similar effect.
I'd agree, research tends to point out that homosexuality is very much related to biology, this is going to primarily affect their desires, and what they do with these desires is a big thing. If gay marriage is legalized, I think this will increase the numbers of those who are open about it, and will overall be a positive thing.
Whatever people choose to do in their bedrooms, or anywhere else in their houses, is nobodys business but the consenting people that are doing it.
The sooner people in Govt realise this we can move on and allow people to make their own choices in life.
Heine - shouldn't the goverment then pass legislation that makes it illegal to stop people from getting married to whoever they want to, rather then leave it as the status quo which is blatent discrimination.
More laws? Discrimination will occur whatever laws are passed. At the moment, anybody can marry. Why add more laws to the statutes when there are more important things o worry about?
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