The shadows of prejudice
2006-10-05 09:21
Dear Editor,
Jon Qwelane's article on same-sex marriage published on News24 is thought-provoking. I doubt that he's homophobic (he doesn't present an irrational and intense fear of homosexuals) but his article provides a valuable insight into the shadows of prejudice.
He states that same-sex unions (let alone civil marriage) should not exist as they fly in the face of nature through their inability to procreate.
Human sexuality is not driven solely by procreation; millions of heterosexual couples rely on unnatural methods such as the contraceptive pill and condoms to avoid procreating. Should infertile heterosexuals be denied the right to marry? Both heterosexuals and homosexuals are able to express love and a myriad other emotions through sexual interaction and one is no more "natural" than the other.
Mr Qwelane is correct in stating that none of the major religions condones homosexuality. This is an irrelevant argument - religion cannot be relied on to dictate social values and norms in a sectarian democracy. The bible, for example, explicitly and repeatedly condones slavery and Islam condones amputation as a suitable punishment for theft. The bible also instructs women to be subservient to men.
The horrendous frequency of neglect and sexual abuse of children, incest, emotional and physical abuse, domestic violence and teenage pregnancy in heterosexual families in South Africa is cause for our collective concern. It is questionable, however, whether this reality allows heterosexuals to question the "morality" of same-sex families, and the ability of gay and lesbian people to parent effectively.
Our quest for the legal status of marriage - civil as opposed to religious marriage - is most definitely a human rights issue. It represents a quest for our equality, as clearly contained in the constitution.
Jon Qwelane believes that some people are more equal than others. His prejudice definitely warrants his being in the firing line for being "backwards", as he anticipated. The positive aspect of this is that while a phobia can be difficult to treat, prejudice is easily overcome if someone is prepared to enter into dialogue with others and to conduct an audit of the rationality of their views.
Glenn de Swardt
G&L expert on Health24, click here for more discussion.
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