Attitudes are changing—and fast. Fifty years ago homosexuality itself was still a crime throughout most of the world. Britain decriminalised it only in 1967 and it was not until 2003 that America’s Supreme Court struck down the remaining sodomy laws in 14 states. Now, across most of the West, polls show a majority of public opinion in favour of equality for gays, including allowing them to marry and adopt children. Ten years ago two-thirds of Americans were opposed to gay marriage; now more than half, including most Catholics, are in favour. Similar trends can be seen in other Western countries.
As attitudes have shifted, laws have changed. When Denmark became the first country to allow “registered partnerships” for gays, in 1989, it was seen as revolutionary. Now most Western countries allow some kind of “civil union” giving homosexuals most of, if not all, the same rights as married straight couples or else full-blown marriage, with the former usually preceding the latter.
Why this rapid shift, which has taken even many activists by surprise? It is partly generational. Younger people, brought up in a more tolerant age, simply cannot understand what all the fuss is about. But it is also a result of changing behaviour among gays themselves. As homophobic laws have fallen, so more homosexuals have come out. And as their straight neighbours see them leading normal happy family lives—including bringing up children—without the world falling apart, they become more widely accepted.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists have also changed their tactics, getting better organised, raising funds, and going out to educate people. In this month’s elections in America the gay-rights movement spent $33m promoting gay marriage in the four states where it was on the ballot—three times the amount their opponents were able to drum up, and a complete reversal of the situation in the 2008 elections.
At the same time, the churches, most of which regard gay sex as a sin, are losing some of their influence. A recent survey of Americans’ religious beliefs by the Pew Research Centre showed one in five adults saying they had no religious affiliation—double the proportion 20 years ago. Three-quarters of these so-called “Nones” support gay marriage. In another study, 42% of Britons described themselves as atheists or agnostics—three times as many as in the early 1960s. In France only 7% of Catholics continue to attend mass at least once a week; 58%, including three-quarters of those aged under 35, never go.
In America, where Barack Obama recently became the first president to endorse gay marriage, Gene Robinson, the Anglican Church’s first openly gay bishop, talks of a “sea change” taking place. The 1996 federal Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), restricting marriage to the union between a man and woman, has increasingly been coming under legal challenge, with two federal appeals courts holding it to be unconstitutional. On November 30th the Supreme Court may take up one of several gay-marriage cases before it. If, as activists hope, it decides in their favour, the ruling could prove as much of a watershed for gay-rights as the court’s landmark sodomy decision in 2003.
(source: The Economist)
The only thing I don't like is that I would have too many weddings to go to.
Quoting Carpy:The only thing I don't like is that I would have too many weddings to go to.
He will go all out though, it'll be quite the shindig.
Quoting Carpy:The only thing I don't like is that I would have too many weddings to go to.
I am glad people are coming to their senses on this one. Marriage is not dominated by the Christian view point and should be made available to everyone.
Love reading an article of good, positive news in this group!
Thank you so much for the article. I just joined Cafemom and have been looking around the site to see what all is here. So far I have been really disappointed in the immature, biased name calling during what is supposed to be adult discussions about the election, differences in values, etc. While I am an Independent voter and always have been I am really sick of the liberals and republicans acting like children and not actually discussing differences or opinions in an adult fashion. Your message above was informational and quite refreshing. Maybe I will continue to read. Thanks so much.
Mitch McConnell Defends Obama Administration On AP Scandal
- Clairwil
on Nov. 18, 2012 at 3:54 AM