As far as you're concerned your answer to that question is...A gay couple would answer NO most likely. Others would maybe say YES. Where do you stand on this? If you'd answer yes is that where the prejudice towards gay marriage really starts.
When some people of a certain age group in civil society are comfortable with gay people to just remain in civil partnerships with each rather than going a step further by tying the knot and getting married,then they happy with that?No qualms.
What is the South African mind-set on same-sex marriage?Is public opinion for or against it?You might be one of those that says: "I support the civil union thing,but not gay marriage",or "I'm all for equal rights for gay and lesbians,but not marriage".Is it a matter for the conscience to decide such a decision?
A psychologist once describe our conscience like when flying an aircraft with either the right or wrongly installed computer programme. If someone deliberately tampered with or falsified the computer programme of such an aircraft what could that lead too? A collision course.With whom and why?Can we really trust our conscience in discerning right and wrong? I'll let you be the judge of that. Marriage is a legal status of rights and responsibilities between the parties getting married. People that get married generally do so for reasons of love and commitment. Its a kinship between yourself and your spouse. Cultures across the globe recognizes and accepts marriage to be such a relationship. Civil unions or Domestic partnerships is totally different kettle of fish. Very few places on earth even allows for such a thing to take place to begin with. Where it is allowed,gays and lesbians are granted legal protection where marriages is not an option. It kind of offers the same rights and responsibilities as a marriage does,but perhaps to a lesser extent. The problems comes when you paying taxes for example and getting state benefits or government sugar-coated hand outs. Tax returns are not generally filed in places where civil unions are not recognized,neither are couples eligible for tax breaks,tax credits or rebates that governments affords to a married couple. Gay and lesbian couples have to file individual tax returns. Social security and state benefits varies when you gay. Insurance breaks,veterans benefits,caring for a sick or in-house bound ailing partner are protected under civil unions protection of rights,but not all. This does put gay and lesbian couples who are married in some legal limbo. Creating the equal access to marriage is the only fair way to ensure equality for gay and straight couples alike. References: 1.lesbianlife.about.com/cs/wedding/a/union marriage. 2.www.hindustantimes.com/...our-conscience/Article1-813048. 3.The New York Times/Education.
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