By Erin Weist
Australia is currently undergoing a national plebiscite (a postal vote) on whether or not to allow same-sex marriage. This is not a legally-binding vote but a means for public feedback on a certain principle: in this case, whether or not same-sex marriage should be allowed. (For more info about how this plebiscite works see this Forbes article.)
I live in the United States but have been following the news from Australia with much interest, having seen similar experiences in countries that have debated and voted on same-sex marriage. Over and over I have seen the same arguments about how legalizing same-sex marriage is about equality or love or rights. I have read for years how this issue only affects those homosexual couples wanting to be married and none else. However, as countries around the world have legalized same-sex marriage the concept and definition of marriage has proven to be far more than just a relationship between two people. It has been shown to be the basis of society as a whole, and when changed it creates a ripple effect that changes everything from family law to educational foundations in schools.
This is a sampling of articles from the last week that help us see what all this issue affects: freedom of religion, equal rights, decency and respect from opposing views, freedom from harrassment, and freedom of speech and thought. Articles such as these have been published for weeks. Finally, this opinion piece about the butterfly effect of introducing same-sex marriage makes clear the vast consequences that infiltrate society and effect much more than just couples in same-sex relationships.
Marriages and families are in fact the bedrock of society. For all the touting of love being equal, the simple fact is that homosexual relationships are not and never will be the same as heterosexual relationships. To assume so is a farce, like trying to admire the Emperor’s New Clothes. This is not homophobia, it is stating fact. A man-woman relationship is different from a man-man or woman-woman relationship in obvious ways, the least of which is biologically. Trying to force others to see marriage differently or assume these unions are the same is unfair to civilization. People in America, Canada, United Kingdom and other European countries where same-sex marriage is currently legal have found that changes to the fabric of society has had butterfly effects on schools, churches, adoption, family law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and more. So I watch Australia with much concern and I hope they can avoid the same problems we have and keep freedom and family more important than politically correct ideology.