Same sex marriage legalised in the UK at midnight tonight!!!

by DuvanMuvan 65 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  tim hooper

  Gay couples get a fairer deal in the UK than they do in the US. The UK Civil Partnership act has been in place for around the last 10 years. This ensures that same-sex couples have had equal rights, particularly when it comes to financial affairs. The need for actual marriage in the UK is not nearly as great as it is in the US, because of the availability of the Civil Partnership act. Consequently when same-sex marriage was announced as an option, lots of people, gays included, were asking why. The issue is much different here than it is across the pond.

  Originally intended as a vote winner for the Conservative party, Prime Minister David Cameron was unable to get a yes vote from his own party on same-sex marriage, so he turned to the Labour and Liberal party to secure a majority in the House of Commons. This in itself has alienated him from his own Conservative party somewhat.

  Same-sex marriage has now become legally obtainable. A Civil Partnership is also obtainable but is only available to same-sex couples.

  The downside to all this is that the country has become polarised on the matter. Religious people are appalled and call hell-fire and damnation on gays just like they always do, the more passionate supporters of same sex marriage cry "bigot" to anyone who isn't 100% behind them, while the vast majority of the population who were once quite happy to accept the gay lifestyle with a live-and-let-live attitude are now feeling intimidated by the militance of some of the pro same-sex marriage groups.

  Tolerance seems to have gone right out of the window.
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  DJS

  Thanks Tim, your post helps me to better understand the culture behind this. The only thing I would suggest is that tolerance and acceptance are two different things. If I'm a member of a minority group or a group for which 'equal rights' if that is what you wish to call it, i would be offended and wouldn't accept tolerance if it meant that i was still supposed to stay in my 'place.' There may be a lot of that going on. Society tolerating gays and gay unions and accepting gay marriage or equal rights and benefits expected by the straights - that's two very different things.
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  Band on the Run

  When I started law school, no status law firm had women or blacks. They claimed they just could not find any good candidates. I wanted to work for a federal agency but slightly older feminists told me I had to become a partner in a corporate firm. True power was there. I had the credentials. There are two theories for what happened next. Either a fairy sprinkled magic dust over Wall Street or the federal government started enforcing civil rights law. All of a sudden half of the new lawyers were women. Black lawyers could earn bonuses for just signing on to work. My law school mentors were women who graduated near or at the very top of their class. When they graduated, no one would hire them. One filed documents and played secretary for the men way below her in the class.

  Only a few years later, intense pressure was applied to hire openly gay lawyers. Magic dust or economic boycott.

  The first couple of years might be awkward but actual humans tend to burn down stereotypes.
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  bemused

  I feel the same about it as I do about gay driving. It's not an issue that should concern anyone.
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  Vidiot

  tim hooper - 'Gay couples get a fairer deal in the UK than they do in the US."

  Same here in Canada.

  Mostly because - among other reasons - there are far fewer Xtian fundies in the UK and Canada who a) have strong political influence, b) believe that their nation has God's special favor, and c) that God might punish said nation collectively for tolerating "sin" (they way he did in the Bible with Israel).

  I am not making this up.
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  DJS

  Bemused, I'm ok with gays driving, as long as they don't drive slow in the fast lane.