Mon, 22. April 2013
The Weak Opposition to Same Sex Marriage
I have followed a few on-line debates on Same-Sex Marriage recently. The arguments which opponents put against gay marriage are always high on fear & contempt, whilst low on logic & substance. I've listed them in thirteen categories:
1. The Conservative Arguments:
- Tradition has precedence.
- Marriage has historically been between a man and a woman.2
- Must maintain the status quo.
- Change will denigrate the institution of marriage.
- Legalising this sort of thing is plain wrong.
- Brothers cannot marry sisters so same sex couples should not be allowed to either.
- I dont remember voting to allow the legality of homosexuality in the first place.2
- It undermines Liberal Party principles.9
Fear of change is a poor excuse for denying basic civil rights. Other inequalities of human rights (women, children, aborigines, slaves, divorce) have been hotly defended over the past century but they became accepted very quickly after adoption.
2. The End of the World As We Know It arguments:
- It will destroy the family unit.2
- It will destroy marriage itself.4
- It will restructure the basic unit of society.4
Destroy or restructure? Make your mind up! Actually it will be neither. The world will go on and no-one will notice any difference.
3. The Definition Arguments:
- Marriage cannot be redefined.
- Gay marriage is a contradiction of terms.
- Same sex marriage is a misnomer.1
- It's a definitional thing7
4. The Catchy Slogan Arguments:
- Adam & Eve not Adam & Steve.
- One man one woman for life.
Catchy - but both with a highly dubious substance. There was no Adam & Eve. For life? Certainly - unless one party seeks a divorce!
5. The Religious Arguments:
- It's an erosion of religious freedom.
- Biblically it is wrong.
- The church is the inherent owner of marriage.
- Marriage was ordained by god.
- It's outrageous!
- Homosexual lifestyle is not god's plan.3
Marriage is not owned by any religion - it is a social institution, pre-dating religion, which is used by people of all belief systems and is regulated by governments. When gays marry, it will have no effect on other people, nor will it affect their religious activities in any way. Some churches will marry same sex couples, some will not. It's up to the church to decide.
6. The Disgust Arguments:
- Same sex marriage is an abomination.
- It's not natural.
- Common decency must prevail.
- It's immoral.2
Oh.... just get over it!
I have heard it said that homosexuality has been observed in over four hundred species of animals - but that homophobia is found in only one. So maybe it is homophobia that is unnatural!
7. The Majority Arguments
- Marriage belongs to us not them.
- Minorities like them have no rights.
- 98% of the population are against it.2
- The Parliament already voted NO on gay marriage and that`s it.2
- Those who want gay marriage can move to New Zealand or France.2
Bullying tactics have worked for centuries but are outmoded in the twenty-first century. Minorities do have rights. Imagine the Australian Government giving tax cuts in the budget but telling Tasmanians that it doesn't apply to them because there are only a few of them. Opinion polls regularly indicate that less than 40% are against same-sex marriage.2
8. The Fear Arguments:
- It will lead to incest, bestiality and polygamy.
- It will lead to an increased number of IVF births.5
- It will lead to teaching homosexuality in schools.5
- It could result in a lesbian Queen giving birth to an heir by artificial insemination.5
Oh, definitely - and homosexuality will be mandatory.
Same sex couples are subject to the same laws on these matters as everyone else.
9. The Denigration Arguments:
- Why encourage the group that brought us AIDS/HIV?
- Gays make bad parents.
- It is condoning homosexual behaviour.
- It will encourage more people to become gay.6
None of these are true and - like it or not - homosexuals exist. Why do so many people spend a lifetime worrying about them?
10. The Non-equality Arguments:
- Gays and heteros are not equal.
- Civil Union should be good enough for them.
- Same sex couple are neither biologically nor functionally equivalent to a 'normal' couple.
- Marriage is "ours" and we won't let "them" be equal to "us."
- Find another word, just don't use the marriage word.2
- Demanding equal rights is foundationally flawed.3
The height of arrogance: "We're better than them. We've got it. They can't have it".
11. The Children Arguments:
- Gays couples cannot reproduce, so they are excluded from marrying.
- Children need a mother and a father.Why deny children their biological mother or father?3
- Children will be taught that homosexuality is normal.
- The children in the relationship will become targets for bullies.
Marriage is not prevented in the case of heterosexual couples who cannot conceive nor in the case of single parents. All children need to be taught tolerance, they need to be cared for and protected. There are plenty of bad heterosexual parents!
12. The Nuisance Arguments:
- They are only a noisy minority.
- Governments should have more important issues to deal with.
- This is just political correctness gone mad.
Lazy arguments that will go away when the matter is properly dealt with. I probably thought this way a bit myself a few years ago when it first came to my attention. It was only when I began to think about it that I realised they have a very good case.
13. The Preferential Treatment Arguments:
- Gays are seeking special treatment.
- The case for gay marriage is self-centred.3
In what way is seeking equality considered as looking for a free ride?
A L L V E R Y W E A K A R G U M E N T S ! !
EDITED:
1Added 25th April 2013.
2Added 29th April 2013.
3Added 1st May 2013.
4Added 9th May 2013.
5Added 22nd May 2013.
6Added 24th September 2013.
7Added 15th March 2014 (PM Tony Abbott, pathetically responding to a question from schoolchildren "Why are you so against legalising gay marriage?")
8Amended 16th March 2014.
9 Amended 27th Nov 2014.