Same Sex Relationship Recognition Internationally
Around the world, Countries and States are recognising the need for Equality for same sex attracted people with regard to the recognition of relationships. Either legal or symbolic recognition exists in a variety of forms across culturally and religiously diverse nations. In this summary, we present not only those states and countries that do legally recognise same sex relationships, but also discuss the impact that various forms of recognition has had on these nations.In looking around the world at what is available, we firstly explore continent by continent:
In New Zealand, Civil Unions exist and it appears that they will have some form of Same Sex marriage Law within 1-2 years. Tasmania has adopted a relationship recognition scheme, allowing same sex couples to register their relationships.
Europe has led the world in adopting legal and symbolic reform for same sex attracted people.
Belgium, The Netherlands and Spain have full legal recognition and offer to same sex couples the right to marry.
Relationship Registration, Civil Unions and other similar arrangements occur in Denmark, Greenland, Finland, France, Luxembourg, *Sweden, *United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Some of these arrangements proffer almost the same rights as marriage, others not quite so much.
Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Andorra and Croatia all offer a lesser form of recognition and offer some or most benefits of those countries covered by Relationship Recognition as above.
* Both Sweden and the United Kingdom have items before Parliaments in their respective nations.
In North America, Canada has adopted full legal recognition to same sex attracted people in 2005. In the United States, there is a different situation.
Massachusetts issues marriage licenses to same sex couples
Vermont and Connecticut have state laws called civil unions that provide all state level spousal rights to all same sex couples in the state.
California has state law that provides nearly all state level spousal rights to all same sex couples in the state.
Hawaii, Maine and New Jersey have state laws that provide a few spousal like rights to same sex couples. District of Columbia offers same sex partner benefits similar to those of legally married couples.
Legislation around domestic partnerships is pending in Arizona and New Mexico, whilst Civil Union Bills are pending in Montana and Oregon. Courts are considering Same sex marriage in Florida and Maryland
In South America, things are somewhat different but it is understood that the recent legislation in Spain may well be the precursor to some discussion within South America. Parts of both Argentina and Brazil have same sex civil unions, along with French Guinea.
In the Caribbean, there are countries like St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua /Barbuda that have some form of same sex civil union.
Asia tells another story. In 2003 there was discussion before the Chinese Parliament, however this was defeated and there is still some discussion. In The Philippines the Communist party are working to introduce legislation to effect same sex civil unions or marriage. In 2004, King Noradom Sihanouk of Cambodia announced that he would support same sex marriage legislation, however, none has yet passed before the Government.
In Africa, things are far tougher and there is only South Africa even close to making any consideration of same sex relationship recognition. A Supreme Court Decision in December 2004 highlighted that that decision may enable same-sex marriage in the country within a year. The remainder of Africa lies under a large and bleak cloud of homophobia.
The impact of these varying laws within differing States and Countries has had several effects. With the growing change throughout the world, and the adoption of forms of relationship recognition legislation in some predominantly Catholic nations, such as Spain, it appears that Governments are willing to challenge religious doctrines to ensure that equality and the dignity of humans over rides said doctrines.
The ongoing effects of same sex recognition in all of the abovementioned nations, has been in almost all cases, positive. There has been no backlash of any description once the legislation is entrenched within the constitutions of these societies, and if anything, there has been an embracing of same sex couples amongst the broader communities.
These benefits of gay marriage have changed the attitudes of the majority of people in Denmark and other countries where various forms of gay marriage have been legal for years. Polling results now show that most people there now recognize that the benefits far outweigh the trivial costs, and that far from threatening heterosexual marriage, gay marriage has actually strengthened it.
We have to address the religious concerns and also the supposed challenges to social structures that are perceived as a negative result.
Threaten marriage? By allowing people to marry? That doesn't sound very logical. If you allow gay people to marry each other, you no longer encourage them to marry people to whom they feel little attraction, with whom they most often cannot relate adequately sexually, bringing innocent children into already critically stressed marriages. By allowing gay marriage, the number of opposite-sex marriages that end up in the divorce courts would be reduced. Societal change is the most significant way to effect legislative change. If it is the stability of the institution of heterosexual marriage that is the concern, then consider that no one would require you or anyone else to participate in a gay marriage. You would still have freedom of choice, of choosing which kind of marriage to participate in -- something more than what you have now. And speaking of divorce -- to argue that the institution of marriage is worth preserving at the cost of requiring involuntary participants to remain in it is a better argument for reforming divorce laws than proscribing gay marriage.
Many of the reasons offered for opposing gay marriage are based on the assumption that same sex attracted people have a choice in who they can feel attracted to, and the reality is quite different. Many people actually believe that gay and lesbian people could simply choose to be heterosexual if they wished. But the reality is that very few do have a choice -- any more than very few heterosexuals could choose which sex to find themselves attracted to.
Additionally, many people continue to believe the propaganda from right-wing religious organizations that homosexuality is about nothing but sex, considering it to be merely a sexual perversion. The reality is that homosexuality is multidimensional, and is much more about love and affection than it is about sex. And this is what gay relationships are based on -- mutual attraction, love and affection. Sex, in a committed gay relationship, is merely a means of expressing that love, just the same as it is for heterosexuals. Being gay is much more profound than simply a sexual relationship; being gay is part of that person's core identity, and goes right the very centre of his/her being. Yes, being gay is just that profound to the person who is. This is something that few heterosexuals can understand unless they are part of a minority themselves.
The values that such gay couples exhibit in their daily lives are often indistinguishable from those of their straight neighbours. They're loyal to their mates, are monogamous, devoted partners. They value and participate in family life, are committed to making their neighbourhoods and communities safer and better places to live, and honour and abide by the law. Same sex attracted people still pay taxes, like everyone else, and many make valuable contributions to their communities, holding senior public offices within the broader community, serving on school boards, volunteering in community charities, and being good citizens. In doing so, they take full advantage of their relationship to make not only their own lives better, but those of their neighbours as well.
To summarise, The Sky Is Not Falling. As has been in the past, societies can adapt to change very well - it is part of the human condition. If this were not the case, then many of the changes of the past 5 centuries would never have happened.
As long as same sex attracted people continue to challenge governments, and educate society, then the sky shall remain firmly where it is, up where it should be and the right to choose one's partner and have that relationship recognised however you should so choose, will become the fundamental human right that it should be
