GAY (SAME SEX) MARRIAGE?

[Grandad]

Right now the first same sex 'marriage' in France is taking place in Montpellier. France has become the 14th country to recognise 'marriage' between two people of the same sex. The UK Government is well on the way to introducing a law to legitimise such events although this is likely to cause some serious differences of opinion within the Conservative party.

I am afraid that I am of an age who can remember when homosexual acts were a criminal offence and kept 'in the closet'. My opinion has therefore become rooted in those times and I refuse to accept that same sex couples are entitled to be regarded as equal to heterosexual couples. It was a vote winning political gesture, in my opinion, when this minority group won the right to form civil partnerships and gain some of the benefits of married couples.

To accept gay marriage as completely equal to 'normal' married couples is a step too far. I know this opinion will make me a bigot in this 21st century but that is my view, not for any religious reason, just a belief that 'Marriage' is between a man and a woman for procreation, or at least, a happy heterosexual relationship.

If things have gone SO far in my life time, what might be the changes in the future? Legal relationships with animals....What a disgusting thought......

[Jayway]

Dear Grandad. Same sex marriage is TOTALLY RIDICULOUS and I am TOTALLY SICK of having other peoples sexual preferences pushed at me from all directions. As for the legal sex with animals, that is already here, I have a nice holiday advert with photos (YUK) where you can choose your preferred animal. Most of the smaller animals do die later but are easily replaced. This world is now a planet of FILTH.

[Grandad]

WOW Jayway! I see I am not alone in my views...

[LovelyLadyLux]

I have to say re: same sex marriage that here in Canada same sex relationships have been OK and overtly happening for so long I'm more than used to this arrangement and am quite blaise to the entire discussion. I find as a hetero person I see and notice it about me but it is like water off a ducks back in that I truly don't hold an opinion on it.......not too sure what this makes me other than holding an attitude of complete disinterest in those about me who profess to be same sex oriented.

The above being said I guess I also have to say I don't have strong feelings on this topic re: marriage. I have a very close relative whose one child is gay and apparently in a long term committed relationship. My relative is totally over the top in terms of being a proponent of gay rights. The relative is an ardent advocate and when the relative is typically advocating the cause of same sex marriage I honestly find me getting bored. Not too sure why I don't care - guess I'm too wrapped up in other world issues that seem to me to be more important.

I do think and believe however that if two people want to commit to each other in a legal manner even if they're NOT homosexual and just want to make a legal committment of responsibility to each other I think there should be a mechanism to do this and, to me, so long as this is a legal committment that the government recognizes and is only with ONE person at a time it should be ok.

@ Grandad - I really don't think your attitude is atypical. I think in your generation you absorbed the believes, morals, values of your time and once an attitude is shaped and ingrained with all the rhetoric of the time it is definitely hard to shape. I know that being Canadian I've internalized the attitude towards same sex marriage here and it is a non-starter. Doesn't really make headlines here at all and doesn't seem to be an issue. Canada advances an attitude of acceptance of everybody.

Guess it is hard to shake where you're from 'em?

On the other hand - ANIMALS? YUCK and DISGUSTING BIGTIME!! Sick bas***rds........to me their one the same level as those who like children......should be shot in the market place.

[Grandad]

I don't really have a problem with same sex couples living together. We knew a couple of elderly gentlemen, and I mean GENTLEmen, who had lived and cared for each other over many years. It is just that over time more and more concessions have been granted to such relationships until it is now recognised in law as marriage. That I don't accept.

My opinion might be softened if we did not have such things as 'Gay Pride' and their processions particularly in Brighton, giving them an opportunity to flaunt their sexuallity. Heterosexuals don't find a need to do like wise so why does the gay community?

With respect to gay marriage in France, their Government will be debating this matter further, later in the year, to determine under what conditions gay couples should be able to 'have children'. This will bring surrogacy, AI, sperm and egg donors, and more, into the debate. All to achieve something that is not natural.

I think of children growing up and telling school friends that they have two Mummys or two Daddys. Maybe I should not concern myself about this. By the time it becomes common practice I shall be long gone. I just think that in my lifetime I have seen some amazing changes in so many things. Things that human nature can be rightly proud of. It is just that this subject is the one I find most unacceptable and nothing to take pride in.

A personal opinion, and thank goodness that one of the changes is freedom of expression.

[Kiya]

Oh don't get me started with " gay marriages " being made legal .............I'll say it in a few words.....totally against it, its not normal, its disgusting !!!! & more so if its made legal for them to have children in any which way they can

Speaking about it with my family I've been asked before " what I would think if one of my grandsons was gay ? Yip...I'd be shocked, dissappointed, hurt but a case of grin & bear it............what a thought

[Grandad]

I would go as far as to say that, due to some genes irregularity, some people may be drawn to others of the same sex to a point of feeling affection for them. But I think this is a very small fraction of society. Today it seems to be 'fashionable' to be in a gay relationship.

If one of my grandchildren was to 'come out' as being gay it would not stop me loving him/her. Blood is still thicker than water but I would not attend any civil ceremony that might eventually take place.

I hasten to say, happily, that they all seem perfectly normal in the boyfriend/girlfriend arrangements. (worth a smiley I think)

[LovelyLadyLux]

When my daughters were born I lived on a country road and two houses over were two elderly men. I'd say they were in their late 60ies and had lived as a couple together forever. The one man was obviously quite effeminate. The other (Jim but I forget his last name and if I could remember it there might even be speeches found on the Net that he gave but he was definitely PRE Utube) way back when was quite an outspoken advocate for gay rights. One of his main and arguments (and he ALWAYS talked about this) was the fact that he had worked all his life and supported his partner who was a stay at home homemaker. Jim always always always wanted to be able to provide his partner with insurance benefits and part of his pension. He argued he worked for it (pension), had full benefits available to him and if he was married to a woman + kids then this benefit would automatically go to them on his demise however in his situation it didn't apply.

I guess cause I knew this man, this couple as neighbours and as he was rather charismatic and outspoken and as his issue made logical sense to me I came into agreement with it and just accepted as natural or as (can't think of the word I want) appropriate that if two people are together then should somehow be able to provide for each other by way of insurances, benefits etc.

This was also set, at the time, against a backdrop of such issues as two gay people living together one of them becoming extremely ill and the other being denied the right to go into the hospital to see them.

For me it was more an awareness that this sort of thing WAS in society and it seemed not right. I know personally I never became involved in this cause. It was there and while I always knew about it I never took up the cause one way or another. This is the wishy washy accept anything cultural Canadian coming out This is WHY the world like us cause we don't object to anything.

If one of the grandkids 'came out' and declared I'd be sad in that being gay does, to me, deny you the ability to have your own family. Another same sex person just isn't going to give you a child. I know there is adoption and surregacy but there is nothing in the world the same as having your own and I'm meaning from conception to birth and on. I know the love and caring is all the same but I just think there is a tiny bit of life or life experience that being gay would/could deny you.

[Jayway]

AS we on on this subject, what is the origin of the word "Poufter". often wondered ? The portuguese call the lesbians fufah, quite similar - - I await to be educated - - Had a very funny cartoon last year, a couple of gay guys in a supermarket buying Pampers . I have been wondering about that too ? ?

[LovelyLadyLux]

In Trinidad homosexuality is considered way way way bad but if you are a gay man there you're referred to as a "Bulla man."

I've heard the phrase 'poufter' too but I don't know where it comes from........hmmmm - will have to think on it.

[Grandad]

I hope you have all had your breakfast but this definition seems apt:

"Brit/Aussie slang for a male homosexual, based on the permanant stretching of the anus that results from repeated anal sex, which causes farts to be emitted with a "pooft" sound rather than the usual, stacatto "bra-a-a-p"."

I won't add a smiley..........

Oh, perhaps I will

[LovelyLadyLux]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Talk about gross

Can you imagine the person who came up with this? Categorizing farts as a way of life........ewwwwwwww

[Kiya]

Oh Yuk! Yuk! Yuk!

[LovelyLadyLux]

Inquiring minds and THEN you KNOW! I'd heard the phrase but never thought to query it

I think with regards to gay marriage that the actual ceremonies are civil (like if you got married in a court house). I think the primary function of a civil marriage is simple to legalize a union so, for example, benefits could be assigned. I don't know if civil ceremonies carry verbage i.e. under the sanctity of God. Guess what I do not know is - is God part of civil ceremonies?

[Grandad]

In the UK we have had civil ceremonies between same sex couples for some years now. These are always conducted in a Register Office or by a Registrar at a private venue. (There have been cases where individual Registrars have refused to conduct the ceremony on personal principal)

The planned changes in the law would allow the marriage to be conducted by either a Registrar or Vicar, like a normal marriage. Of course, the church would have the option whether or not to conduct the service. I believe that it would be left to the local vicar but I am not sure about that.

I DO know that The Lords, our upper house of government, will debate the issue on Monday. Should be interesting because many of the Lords are hereditary and as such do not have to follow any party line, unlike those promoted to the upper house by their political party.......

[LovelyLadyLux]

The debate will be intersting.

I've not followed issues related to Gay Rights personally over the years but they definitely are pushing to have as many full formal legal rights as everybody else.

I do not know the answer to this but if a guy couple has a child does the child of a gay union get all the same legal full formal benefits and protections as a child from a 'married' heterosexual couple? Is the child of a gay couple missing anything that they would otherwise have or get if their parents were married?

[Grandad]

In the UK 'marriage' would entitle the couple and any children to ALL benefits and entitlements that a hetero' couple would receive. For any children that is absolutely correct. Children should in no way be denied or affected if they have same sex 'parents'.

I do have concerns (completely unfounded) about children in their early years. Schoolchildren can be very nasty and spiteful, particularly today when children are so much more informed. I worry about bullying. With celebrity couples like Elton John and David Furnish, their children will be brought up in a different world to kids at the local junior and comprehensive schools.

[Jayway]

Dear Grandad. Thankyou so much for educating me, I can now understand where the Pampers come in -....... I have to go now as I am hysterically laughing at the posts on this page - -