Myths and facts about same-sex marriage
~ Same-sex marriage is a untried social experiment that undermines traditional values and heterosexual marriage.
- Same-sex marriage has been in existence for long enough, and in places sufficiently comparable to Australia, to make it clear that the dire predictions of its opponents are groundless.
- Studies have shown that the legal recognition of same-sex marriage does not affect rates of heterosexual marriage.
Same-sex marriage was first legalised in the Netherlands in 2001.
It has been followed by Belgium, the US state of Massachusetts, and the Canadian provinces and territories of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the Yukon.
Legislation guaranteeing equal marriage has been introduced to and is expected soon to pass the Canadian and Spanish Parliaments.
None of the dire predictions about social breakdown made by opponents of same-sex marriage have come true in any of these jurisdictions.
According to a recent study by the US-based Council on Contemporary Families,
"the adoption of same-sex marriage and marriage-like same-sex partnership rights in Scandinavia and the Netherlands has not changed previously-existing trends in marriage, divorce, cohabitation, or out-of-wedlock childbearing. Same-sex marriage has not undermined heterosexual marriage where it has been adopted."
For the full report go to http://www.contemporaryfamilies.org/media/press.php
~ Homosexual relationships are too unstable to meet the high standards of commitment expected in marriage.
- Divorce rates for same-sex unions are about the same as they are for their different-sex counterparts.
Between April 2001, when same-sex marriage was legalised in the Netherlands, and December 2003, there were 5,751 same-sex marriages and 63 divorces.
In the same period, there were around 243,000 heterosexual marriages and 2,800 heterosexual divorces in the country of 16 million.
That means same-sex couples were slightly less likely than their different-sex counterparts to divorce.
Of all the couples married in the Netherlands since 2001, male couples were the least likely of all to end their marriages.
~ Popular opinion will always be against same-sex marriage
- Support for same-sex marriage in Australia is surprisingly high given the absence of sustained public debate on the issue.
- Polls from other countries show that when this debate occurs support for reform increases dramatically.
On June 9th 2004 SBS TV News commissioned Australia’s most comprehensive poll on same-sex marriage.
Of the 1200 people surveyed 38% supported same-sex marriage, and 44% were against.
This evenly divided result emerged despite very little public debate on the issue prior to the poll being taken.
A poll by research company Envionics in July last year found that support for same-sex marriage in Canada had increased to 57% from 48% in September to 2003. This coincided with the recognition of same-sex marriage in several Canadian provinces.
Earlier this year the Madrid-based Center for Sociological Investigations found that of 2,400 people interviewed 66.2 % said they thought that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry.
This coincided with Spanish Government plans to legalise same-sex marriage.
~ All committed Christians are against same-sex marriage
- In those countries where there is a mature community debate on same-sex marriage many Christians have indicated support for reform.
For example, on January 17th this year The Right Rev. Dr. Peter Short, 38th Moderator of the United Church, Canada's largest Protestant denomination, welcomed equal marriage for same and different-sex couples.
"I believe that this decision has been reached not by abandoning Christian faith, tradition, and values, but by implementing them", he said.
"Those who claim that homosexual people threaten to dismantle the value of heterosexual marriage would do well to remember that if anyone destroys marriage, it is married people, not gays and lesbians.
"For me, Christian faith, tradition, and values contribute to our hope for that day when earth once more is fair and all her children one, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people -- all her children."