The Social (R)Evolution of Gay Marriage: Past and Present
The foundations of human existence stemmed from the ability for biological evolution and procreation. With this in mind, a correlation can be constructed between the biological and the social, where social evolution and the birth of new ideas have led to the emergence of a visible LGBTQ community. There is much debate about LGBTQ issues ranging from ethics to religious views to heterosexual biases; and at the forefront of today’s ‘Queer Hot 100 List’ is the issue of gay marriage. John D’Emilio and Adrienne Rich discuss such LGBTQ issues and Annie Linskey reports a new headliner that advocates to and for same-sex couples seeking to get married.
In “O'Malley Seeks Religious Support for Same-sex Marriage Bill,” Annie Linskey discusses the LGBTQ community in Baltimore, Maryland as they are slowly beginning to receive support from their religious counterparts. A revised bill was presented by Governor Martin O’Malley that, if passed, would legalize gay marriage in the state. The bill was revised so that it would ensure “religious protections” and was specifically reworded to “blunt opposition” from religious individuals who worried about being forced to adhere to the law against their personal morals (Linskey 2012). The bill, however, would support these individuals’ religious views above supporting the gay marriage bill when future nuances arise in practice. The significance of this bill is the support that it is starting to receive from religious citizens within the community. Reverend Delman Coates of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church went to the Government House to show his support of the bill, but specified that religious others do not have to “agree with same-sex marriage as a matter of personal religious choice” just because he does (Linskey 2012).
Although this seems contradictory, it is a significant step in the social evolution of acceptance and equality for the LGBTQ community in the eyes of America’s heterosexist society. As Adrienne Rich argues, heterosexism is brought on by social factors drawn from sexual inequalities. As these inequalities fester between heterosexual couples, they suggest to women that “marriage and sexual orientation towards men are inevitable” and are the norm (Rich 1995). This also suggests that being heterosexual is indeed normal, and not being heterosexual is abnormal. In rewriting the bill, Governor O’Malley is embarking on a journey for social equality that the LGBTQ community has already been trekking. However, because of Reverend Coates’ personal support of the bill, his shift in view is especially significant because religious individuals are hopping on board as well. Through becoming more aware of the social inequality of non-heterosexually identified people, social change is becoming more tangible to the LGBTQ community - albeit slowly, but surely. This is exemplified in Coates’ verbalization of “I think everyone is protected here” when speaking about how the bill incorporates gay marriage while simultaneously acknowledging the church’s beliefs (Finskey 2012).
Also, at this stage in the social evolution of the LGBTQ community, it is important to reflect on the social changes in America that have led up to this particular current event. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, homosexuality was not even recognized because heterosexuality was “literally the only way of life” (D’Emilio 1983). Moving into the early twentieth century, homosexuality was beginning to be identified and acknowledged, where people were beginning to act on their sexual preferences. However, views on homosexuality were thwarted by “Judeo-Christian tradition” and society began to view same-sex interaction as a “heinous sin” in which the “inferior” homosexuals should be “punished” for their “acquired form of insanity” and “homosexual…pathology” (D’Emilio 1983). Although there are still those today who view homosexuality as a “disease” and wish to continue viewing homosexuals as “criminals,” the evolution into today’s society is apparent.
Looking back on previous views on same-sex relations, the social change being facilitated by today’s government in Maryland is revolutionizing the way in which people are interacting with religion and sexual minorities of LGBTQ. As Reverend Coates said, he feels like the “legislation would not force his church to do something against its beliefs” and when “wavering delegates” see this, they will hopefully support the bill and further facilitate social acceptance of the LGBTQ community (Finskey 2012).
Thus, social evolution has been seen throughout America’s history. This evolution has lead to a revolution in the way that religious individuals view and interact with people in the LGBTQ community, while facilitating further social change and acceptance of non-heterosexual individuals.
Works Cited
D’Emilio, John. "Homosexuality and American Society: An Overview" from Sexual
Politics, Sexual, Communities in the United States 1940- 1970. Chicago, Ill: University
of Chicago Press, 1983.
Rich, Adrienne. "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence" from Professions
of Desire: Lesbian and Gay Studies in Literature. ed. George Haggerty and Bonnie
Zimmermann. New York: Modern Language Association, 1995.
Linskey, Annie. “O'Malley Seeks Religious Support for Same-sex Marriage Bill.” The Baltimore Sun Jan 2012. Web. 08 Feb. 2012. <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-same-sex-religion-20120124,0,1852313.story>
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-same-sex-religion-20120124,0,1852313.story
I agree with your opinions about how society’s views are slowly changing in respect to the queer community and the support of this bill can be largely influential on the future. Cherrie Moraga exemplifies the need for such ideas of social change in her article “Queer Aztlán: The Reformation of Chicano Tribe.” In this article she states, “if women’s bodies and those of men and women who transgress their gender roles have been historically regarded as territories to be conquered, then they are also territories to be liberated” (Moraga, 1993). Passage of the same-sex marriage bill will liberate the queer community from the strictly heterosexual views of marriage being forced upon them by society. Although this is not full liberation, in time hopefully it can be achieved.
ReplyDeleteThe rewording of the bill was evidently successful in stopping some opposition, although not all, from religious groups, as demonstrated by the fact Reverend Delman Coates currently is in support. I like his idea that he does not want to force opinions upon his church, it is respectable that just because he feels one way, he is not going to make other people feel the same. In contrast, it is not fair that heterosexists are trying to force their views about anti-homosexuality upon the rest of society. Although some of American society has changed its views in respect to the queer community, most of it still has a lot more to learn and accept.
Moraga, Cherrie. "Queer Aztlan: The Reformation of Chicano Tribe." The Last Generation. Boston: South End, 1993.