The movement for marriage equality is highlighting the underlying strengths and weaknesses in many national cultures.
James Kirchick discusses what's happening in France, where same-sex marriage was passed by the Socialist-led parliament but unleashed massive protests by Catholics and social reactionaries (evoking reminders of Vichy fascism).
Ned Simons looks at Britain, where the leadership of all three major parties (Conservatives, Liberal and Labour) support marriage for all, although a majority of Conservatives MPs and peers (in the House of Lords) remain opposed, as do the Catholic and Anglican churches, even though the Anglicans, who are the official state church in England, would be legally prohibited from conducting same-sex marriages (other religious groups would have the opportunity to opt-out). That's not enough for UK Muslims, who also want to be barred from same-sex marriages as well.
3 Comments for “Europe Moves Forward, Against Resistance”
posted by Lori Heine on
Another way the U.S. is actually ahead in some cultural ways. The American Episcopal Church is light-years ahead of the Church of England on the issue of acceptance of gays.
The fact that the Episcopal Church is not a State church probably helps it to be more flexible. The social right wants the government to establish an official State faith — their own version of Christianity. They seem blissfully ignorant of the fact that many of our ancestors migrated to these shores to get away from that sort of thing.
posted by TomJeffersonIII on
1. France has a strong ‘libertarian-left’ tradition in its political culture, going back to its first revolution and the initial Declarati0n of the Rights of Man. France was one of the first European nations to liberalize its criminal laws on homosexuality — doing so after the first revolution.
1b. France also has a rather vocal xenophobic, reactionary-right-wing (even royalist) populism that pops up every now and again. They protested immigrants — finding a wider voice when their is high unemployment/fears of violence — and they took to the streets when France adopted the ‘PACS’ (basically domestic partnerships-civil unions) in the late 1990s.
2a. Religious organizations — be they Christian or Muslim — should have the right to opt out of gay marriage. Just like they can with interfaith marriage. That religious fundamentalists want to ban gay marriage is not too surprising. One of the many reasons why church and state should not mingle.
2b. In the UK, the legal difference between civil marriage and civil reg. is hard to determine. Extending civil marriage to gay couples would probably mean fewer legal changes (beyond the name) — where as France initially had limited PACS that gradually evolved over the years.
2c. In the UK things have gotten to a point where, overt gay-bashing generally does not get rewarded by the electorate. Its not a utopia by any means. But, the ‘Tories” can no longer pander to homophobia (overtly anyways) if they want to remain a major party. The GOP still gets rewarded for pandering to homophobia in the U.S.
posted by Aubrey Haltom on
Can you imagine a Republican Chair stating the following:
“…Lord Fowler, a former chairman of the Tory Party who supports the Bill, told peers today gay people had the right “to expect what we all expect; nothing more, but certainly nothing less.”
“Parliament should value people equally in the law and enabling same-sex marriage removes a current inequity,” he said. “For some of us, that is a fundamental moral issue.””
And, just to note, the vote in the House of Lords wasn’t close – despite Simons’ expectation.
Lori – the American Episcopal Church has a complicated relationship with lgbt equality. I live in Boston, and the Episcopal Church here supports lgbt equality.
Yet when my husband and I lived in St. Louis, MO – we had a neighbor who was an Episcopal priest. This priest led his church in leaving the American Episcopal denomination – and swore allegiance to the African Anglican Bishop (name escapes me) who has made his name as a virulent homophobe.
As I understand it, the Episcopal Church has tied its dioceses to the state laws re: marriage. And same sex couples are not allowed to use The Book of Common Prayer’s marriage liturgy (nor revise it for their use) in any state.
btw – I am not a Christian. What I know of the American Episopal Church comes from friends and neighbors.
My neighbor here in Boston is a lesbian Episcopal Priest (an amazing person who works with the homeless, etc…). My neighbor in St. Louis, MO was an Episcopal Priest as well. Who opposed gays and women having any role in the church.
That dynamic – where priests can be as varied in approach as detailed above – probably describes much of American Christianity.