The controversy surrounding same-sex marriage seems endless. People’s view is clearly divided into two, with some in-between. With the trend of homosexuality gaining more support, the proponents of homosexual marriage consistently advocate abolishing discrimination, claiming that homosexual couples have their rights to have families. According to them, it is imperative to legalize same-sex marriage in order to overcome the unfair situation in which the homosexual population is placed. The opponents confront them, arguing that the essential meaning of marriage is going to be damaged. By referring to the essential meaning of marriage, they mean two people giving birth to a child to form a family, by extension, forming the society. These opponents largely consisted of believers in religions including Catholicism, and Islam, and they protest against homosexual marriages.
Starting with the Netherlands legalizing homosexual marriage in 2000, many other countries have been following suit. Currently there are ten countries in which same-sex marriage is allowed officially. Some of these countries where gay marriage is legal are Belgium, Canada, Spain, South Africa, Portugal, and Denmark. In the U.S.A., there are currently ten states that allow same-sex marriage including Washington DC. England, which recently passed the homosexual marriage law, is going to expand the law which will allow same-sex couples to conduct religious ceremonies (only under the conditions that the churches approve of them), and acknowledge them as legitimately married, previously only referred to as a “partnership.” In the case of Israel, the same-sex marriage is tolerated outside its national border and in all of South America, Argentina is the only country that the law has passed. The trend of legalization of homosexuality is accelerating and the number of countries which will pass the law is likely to increase.
Today, it is hard for us to believe that there once was a time when women could not vote for their leader, and white and black people had to eat and drink at separate locations. With today’s fast changing times, people will soon find it strange that there was the time in which same-sex marriage was not tolerated.
Staff writer Kim San Ok.
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