18/06/2008 / WORLD
I'm fearful
that this change [in law in California] will
create a backlash and become a big issue in the US elections this year. Americans
get very hysterical about "traditional marriage" - which isn't even actually
that traditional, but quite recent. The idea that gay marriage will destroy
same-sex marriage is a joke for me. It's a civil right. I'm sorry to say our
country is pretty slow in many ways. Look at Spain - they're a Catholic country
and they've got it. We'll look back at it like we did at the interacial marriage
ban and think "that was crazy!"
I find gay
marriage bizarre. Being married is perceived as a structure set up to produce
children and there's no medical possibility for two men to do that yet. I'm a
married man and I believe that the woman is definitely an important member of
the family for the children, while it's the responsibility of the man to go out
to earn a living and bring money home. Although my wife works too, there are
certain divides - which would come into question with two men or two women.
We don't
take the gay marriage thing seriously in China. It's seen as something fun,
something western. And we're very private. There's a kind of "don't ask"
policy. I have a gay friend but he never actually says it, not even to his
friends. Couples just live together - no one has a problem with that, and gay
people don't seem to mind not being able to get married. Even though we have a
long history with homosexuality in our culture, it's just not mainstream. But
neither is it frowned upon - there's very little homophobia in China. There
were some prejudices a few years ago after the AIDS scare, but people are
getting increasingly tolerant now. However, I can't see gay marriage happening
in the near future. It's just not an issue here."
I heard
that gay marriage has been legalised in California.
Here it's homosexuality in itself that's illegal. Ghana is a very religious country.
Most people are Christian, but we also have some Muslims too. There are of
course, some activists who are trying to change the law. But the authorities
make it quite clear that it's not going to happen.
We're very
pleased about this new law. Today, homosexual couples can marry side by side on
the west coast of America.
Let's hope it brings change to those states that are trying their hardest to
rule out legalising gay marriage. The US is an example to the rest of
the world. The wheels have been put into motion now, like we saw in Sweden.
"I find gay marriage bizarre"
Photo: Gino Ginelli on Flickr
On June 16, California became the second American state to give the green light to gay marriage. We asked our Observers, from China to Ghana, if there's a chance of seeing the same thing happen in their own countries.
"I'm sorry to say our country is pretty slow in many ways"
Meema Spadola produced a documentary called Our House about growing up with gay parents. She herself grew up with a lesbian mother and a straight father in Maine, USA.
I'm fearful
that this change [in law in California] will
create a backlash and become a big issue in the US elections this year. Americans
get very hysterical about "traditional marriage" - which isn't even actually
that traditional, but quite recent. The idea that gay marriage will destroy
same-sex marriage is a joke for me. It's a civil right. I'm sorry to say our
country is pretty slow in many ways. Look at Spain - they're a Catholic country
and they've got it. We'll look back at it like we did at the interacial marriage
ban and think "that was crazy!"
Gay parents are just like any others. You get the same frustrations, love and clashes at home. It's incredibly normal. The nuclear family has never really been the model. There have always been single parents, extended families etc. This is a very conservative country - change really scares people. But once we elect Obama, everything will change!"
"I find gay marriage bizarre"
Awab Alvi is a dentist from Karachi, Pakistan.
I find gay
marriage bizarre. Being married is perceived as a structure set up to produce
children and there's no medical possibility for two men to do that yet. I'm a
married man and I believe that the woman is definitely an important member of
the family for the children, while it's the responsibility of the man to go out
to earn a living and bring money home. Although my wife works too, there are
certain divides - which would come into question with two men or two women.As a doctor I interact professionally with gays and don't find them offensive. I believe people have their own will and for us to enforce religious elements on that is not fair. They do "get married", secretly, and I suppose, why not? I would advise them not to do it though - if future generations come and can't raise children in the natural sense it will upset the natural course of life. Besides, the male/ female relationship is so entrenched in the Islamic religion that the legalisation of gay marriage wouldn't even happen in 50 years here."
"We don't take the gay marriage thing seriously"
Michael Anti is a political reporter from Beijing, China.
We don't
take the gay marriage thing seriously in China. It's seen as something fun,
something western. And we're very private. There's a kind of "don't ask"
policy. I have a gay friend but he never actually says it, not even to his
friends. Couples just live together - no one has a problem with that, and gay
people don't seem to mind not being able to get married. Even though we have a
long history with homosexuality in our culture, it's just not mainstream. But
neither is it frowned upon - there's very little homophobia in China. There
were some prejudices a few years ago after the AIDS scare, but people are
getting increasingly tolerant now. However, I can't see gay marriage happening
in the near future. It's just not an issue here.""Our bodies weren’t designed to do that"
Charles Amega-Selorm is a blogger from Accra, Ghana.
I heard
that gay marriage has been legalised in California.
Here it's homosexuality in itself that's illegal. Ghana is a very religious country.
Most people are Christian, but we also have some Muslims too. There are of
course, some activists who are trying to change the law. But the authorities
make it quite clear that it's not going to happen.Personally, I'm against gay marriage. I think that homosexuality goes against nature. It spreads diseases and our bodies just weren't designed to do that. On top of that I'm Christian so I find it morally wrong. However, if one of my friends came out to me, I wouldn't outright disown him. I'd respect his choice."
"The US is an example to the rest of the world"
Matthieu Chimbault is the spokesperson for the French LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) Federation.
We're very
pleased about this new law. Today, homosexual couples can marry side by side on
the west coast of America.
Let's hope it brings change to those states that are trying their hardest to
rule out legalising gay marriage. The US is an example to the rest of
the world. The wheels have been put into motion now, like we saw in Sweden.In France, recent events have shown that even couples that get "pacsed" [agree to a civil partnership agreement less binding than marriage] are not considered the same way as those who are married. During his campaign, Sarkozy proposed the "civil union contract". It's actually a marriage contract, but he doesn't dare run with it bearing his name in fear of a backlash from the electorate. It's a shame because people are ready now."
- France
- spokesperson of the french federation of LGBT centers (Lesbians, gays, bi and trans)
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Comments
@ Dr Awab Alvi: marriage is not only about raising children
Submitted by Claude Almansi (not verified) on Wed, 20/08/2008 - 10:03.Hi Awab,
You write:
"As a doctor I interact professionally with gays and don't find them offensive. I believe people have their own will and for us to enforce religious elements on that is not fair. They do "get married", secretly, and I suppose, why not? I would advise them not to do it though - if future generations come and can't raise children in the natural sense it will upset the natural course of life."
But marriage is not only about raising children. Many heterosexual married couples don't have children. It is also about what the law stipulates for assets acquired together, for the right to be considered as "next of kin" in case of hospitalization. Hence the "PACS" (registered partnership) solutions in several countries, which at least takes care of these aspects. Would that be acceptable in Muslim countries, do you think?
Unregistered user
"As a Christian my
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 24/07/2008 - 08:28."As a Christian my responsibility is to teach people the way to salvation. I will do so whether they will accept it or not."
No it's not; it is to understand, learn and help people, not judge. Read more about Gnostic Christianity, where the point is acceptance and not judgement.
"Being married is perceived as a structure set up to produce children and there's no medical possibility for two men to do that yet."
Then change the perception. Millions of people cannot have children together, yet marry, is their marriage less significant in your eyes?
We are not animals, we have free will and free choice and need to have the right to choose to be in gay partnerships if we choose.
Anyone who cannot accept this should take a deep look at their own judgement level and ability to open their mind - two prime tenants of most religions.
Unregistered user
As a Christian my
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 10/07/2008 - 09:43.As a Christian my responsibility is to teach people the way to salvation. I will do so whether they will accept it or not. It is up to them. So here I go:
This was written about 2000 years ago ans so I quote:
Roman 1 verse 16 to 28:
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
God's Wrath Against Mankind
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Unregistered user
Being Gay Isn't A Choice
Submitted by Richard Pilgrim (not verified) on Thu, 19/06/2008 - 09:03.I always find it puzzling when people talk about gays 'making a choice'. This, of course, is a way that prejudiced people can lay the responsibility for this so-called ‘aberration of nature’ at the doors of its protagonists. It’s ludicrous to assume that anyone would actually choose to be gay – who would voluntarily wish to place themselves into a minority group so that they can be reviled and discriminated against for the rest of their lives? To anyone who believes that someone would ‘choose’ to be gay, I would pose this question: “At what age did you ‘choose’ to be heterosexual?” You didn’t? Of course you didn’t, you just grew into your own sexuality quite naturally. This is exactly what happens to people who find themselves to be gay.
On the subject of gay marriage, I would say this: Marriage exists for two main reasons – to provide a stable and loving relationship in which two people can support each other through life, and to create an environment for the procreation of children. Okay, nobody would deny even gay people the opportunity to enjoy the first of these – everyone is entitled to find a partner with whom they share the joys and tragedies of life, whether that’s with a person of the opposite or of the same sex. So that leaves the issue of procreation. Well, whereas it is true that homosexual couples have biological challenges to reproduction, so do many other relationships. What about couples who are incapable of having children? What about couples who marry when they are already too old to have children? What about those couple who don’t actually want to have children? Are we to deny these people to opportunity to marry too? Of course not.
A society is judged by the way it treats its minorities – a cliché maybe, but true. As a society, we have moved on from the times when the bible was written. We now enjoy far more rights and liberties in all areas of our lives (not just sexual) and we therefore cannot pick and choose which aspects of a non-enlightened time once decreed upon us. We have to accept progress and change and if that includes marriage for homosexuals, then that’s fine by me too.
End selective bigotry!
Unregistered user
gay marriage is wrong
Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Thu, 19/06/2008 - 06:38.i am from ethiopia and i think gay marriage is wrong.Evolution states that the fittest animal(sexually) has the best chance of surviving. Thats why nature or god made females and males. So we can reproduce if our ancestors were gay we wouldn't be alive today so gay people owe their existance to straight people and need to stop experimenting.
Unregistered user
Gay is against the nature
Submitted by Joe Sunday (not verified) on Thu, 19/06/2008 - 05:27.As regarding gay marriage, it is unfortunate that mankind are trying to change the root of nature.If such act (gay marriage)is good, it would have been tolerated from onset.One of the purpose of marriage is to multiply, I mean how can two same sex multiply? Let us be reasonable and rule out lust.God who made man and woman have a purpose for doing that and everybody must perform his or her own duty to carrying on the existence of nature
Unregistered user
GAY IS NOT AGAINST NATURE
Submitted by JOHN,ENGLAND (not verified) on Thu, 26/06/2008 - 16:17.Homosexuality has been with us throughout the evolution of man and has been in every in every culture on every continent.
My partner of 18 years and I entered into a Civil Partnership two years ago and now have equal rights just like a heterosexual couple.
It is sad that so many of your contributors regard being gay as some form of aberration.............what are they afraid of and why cannot they look at the history of civilization before making so many homophobic statements?
Unregistered user