Much worse, the comparison with interracial marriage actually understates the evil of reserving marriage rights for certain classes of people. Banning interracial marriage meant that most black people could not marry outside of their race. This was morally indefensible, but very different than a total exclusion of gays from the institution of marriage. Throughout much of America, gays are effectively banned from marrying, not simply certain types of people, but any another compatible partner period. Unlike heterosexual blacks in 1960, the ban gays suffer under is unconditional and total and effectively offers one word for an entire sector of Americans--Die. For evading that ban means virtual--if not literal--suicide.
A more compelling analogy would be a law barring blacks, not from marrying other whites, but effectively from marrying anyone at all. In fact we have just such an analogy. In the antebellum South, the marriages of the vast majority of African-Americans, much like gays today, held no legal standing. Slavery is obviously, itself, a problem--but abolitionists often, and accurately, noted that among its most heinous features was its utter disrespect for the families of the enslaved. Likewise, systemic homophobia is, itself, a problem--but among its most heinous features is its utter disrespect for the families formed by gays and lesbians. Of course African-Americans, gay and straight, in 1810 lacked many other rights that gays, of all colors, today enjoy. Thus, to state the obvious, being born gay is not the same as being born a slave. But the fact is that in 1810, the vast majority of African-Americans--much like the vast majority of gays in 2010--lacked the ability to legally marry.
Well, yes. It's obvious, but, before now, I did not see the obvious.
H/T to Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin for the link.
Good piece: so simple and yet so thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteWe had a famous case in the mid 1800s, when things began to change...
ReplyDeleteA Jewish man was requred by law to make his non Jewish wife a honourable woman; his spouse, but was not able to get the banns published...
He applied and applied...
The case lingered on until in the end the law was changed and Jewish marriages were recognised.
Roman Catholic and Baptist marriages remained illegal until 1908.
This is the stage you are in right now ;=)
For gays and lesbians, we are, Göran, although some states permit marriage. The problem is if you travel or move to another state, the marriage may not be recognized as such.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI guess, without wanting to be overly bleak about it, it relates back to the inner need on the part of an oppressor to see the oppressed as less than genuinely human in order to be able to carry the act of oppression out. Acknowledge the depth of human bonds, and you acknowledge the humanity.
ReplyDelete