<
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2024/10/19/opinion-around-world-marriage-change-hearts-minds/>
"Right now, there are active campaigns to secure the freedom to marry for
same-sex couples in dozens of countries around the world – spanning every
continent and a wide variety of political contexts. While each of these
campaigns is rooted in unique cultural and political dynamics, they have in
common the potential to harness the power of marriage as both a goal and a
strategy – leveraging the marriage conversation to change hearts and minds
about LGBTQ people. Public campaigns for the freedom to marry are a unique
opportunity to demonstrate that LGBTQ people are part of families and have the
same need for family recognition as everyone else – helping to bring the needs
and rights of LGBTQ people into a more familiar context for the broader public.
Not only does changing public attitudes toward LGBTQ people and their families
have immediate, tangible impacts for the community, marriage campaigns have
proven to yield an array of long-term benefits for LGBTQ civil society and
democratic participation – including increasing overall support for LGBTQ
causes, strengthening civic organizations, testing the implementation of new
strategies to engage decision makers, training new generations of LGBTQ
leaders, and instilling belief in activism, the rule of law, and effecting
democratic change.
By familiarizing the public with LGBTQ couples and families and lifting the
voices of allies, campaigns for the freedom to marry reduce homophobia and
transphobia, leading to greater acceptance. The public conversation about the
freedom to marry is uniquely centered on the resonant values of love and
family, as well as freedom and dignity, helping non-gay people better
understand gay people as individuals with loving relationships and families,
just like everyone else. Also, unlike other policy changes, the legalization of
marriage for same-sex couples is typically accompanied by strong media
attention that magnifies the campaign’s potential to shift public attitudes.
Even after securing the freedom to marry, polling data shows that public
support for LGBTQ people continues to accelerate, creating a more inclusive
society and enabling political progress on several other fronts, especially
those most important to LGBTQ people.
For example, after Costa Rica in May 2020 became the first Central American
country to affirm the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, a poll conducted
by international research firm Borge & Asociados found an 18% increase in
support for civil marriage for same-sex couples, as well as an increase in
support for LGBTQ people more broadly. Nearly 40% of poll respondents reported
personally developing a more positive opinion of gay and lesbian people in the
previous 12 months and support for adoption and transgender nondiscrimination
grew strongly after securing the freedom to marry. Costa Rica went on to
enhance hate crimes and second parent adoption laws shortly after the marriage
victory."
Via
Fix the News:
https://fixthenews.com/275-resurrection-notre-dame/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
