This is the title of a submission to HoC Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill Committee from two years ago. The subtitle is Experience of legalising marriage for same-sex couples
in Europe and North America.
It examines the claims that same-sex “marriage” strengthens the institution rather than dilutes it. These were the findings produced for SPUC based on research and data from
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada the US, and
concludes that:
• As marriage is redefined to accommodate same-sex couples, this
reinforces the idea that marriage is irrelevant to parenthood.
• Same sex marriage leads to the casualisation of heterosexual unions and
separation of marriage and parenthood.
• Spain saw a pronounced acceleration in the decline of marriage following
the introduction of same-sex marriage (same-sex marriage was introduced
at the same time as the ‘express divorce bill’).
• Across all countries analysed no causal link has been established to
support the idea that same-sex marriage prevents marital decline.
• In the move to same-sex marriage, opposite-sex relationships have to
conform to gay norms rather than vice-versa.
• A publicly professed, legal, partnership does not prevent homosexual
couples from breaking up more frequently than married heterosexual
couples.
• Experience with same-sex partnerships/marriage legislation tends to
suggest that availability is all, and participation more or less irrelevant to
sexual minorities.
• Same-sex marriage may be the end-game of long-running anti-marriage,
anti-family policy typified by Sweden.
• Same-sex marriage may begin the process of severing marriage from
family in otherwise family-friendly societies such as Spain and the
Netherlands.
• Same-sex marriage triggers dismemberment of family structures in family-
friendly societies.
It ends with this caveat:
*Note: We introduce the term “same-sex marriage” with quotation marks
because it is not really marriage – but in the text we ask the reader to take
the distinction as read.
Three years ago, I wrote about The Hidden Dangers of ‘Gay Marriage’.
I quoted from Cranmer’s post on the then Equalities Minister’s plans for same-sex “marriage”:
“But the state does not ‘own’ marriage, either, Ms Featherstone. It is a union observed in all cultures and, according to Aristotle, exists by nature. The state cannot change nature: it can legislate to call the rain ‘sunshine’, but the rain is still the rain; it’s neither good nor bad; it’s just the rain. And it will still make you wet, whatever you call it.”
He adds that, “Marriage is essential for the functioning of society.”
Which is exactly why it is being diluted.
More in my next post and then hopefully a change of subject.
See also: Scotland and Gomorrah.