Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Tying the knot: quest for same-sex marriage in Australia

By Clarrie Burke - posted Tuesday, 14 August 2012


Same-sex marriage in history

Same-sex marriage dates back to the Roman Empire. Two Roman emperors were considered married: Nero and Elagabalus. Roman statesman Cicero documented the legal rights of an individual within same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage continued in the Roman Empire until Christianity became the official religion. In 342 AD Christian emperors Constanius II and Constans outlawed marriages between partners of the same-sex. Punishment for violating this law was death.

Advertisement

Despite the severe measures to eradicate same-sex marriage, ancient Church liturgical documents record ceremonies called "Office of Same-Sex Union" (10th and 11th Centuries) and "Order for Uniting Two Men" (11th and 12th Centuries) are indicative of same-sex marriage. (Female same-sex marriages were rare, as women were accorded less freedom, authority and responsibility in family and social life at the time.)

In late medieval France, the dominance of Christianity was responsible for the suppression of same-sex relationships, including marriage. Yet there is evidence that same-sex marriage existed at the time. For instance, the legal contract of "embrotherment" (a pledge to live together sharing "one bread, one wine and one purse [joint property]") was an early form of sanctioned same-sex marital unions. Like marriage agreements, the "brotherments" had to be sworn before a notary and witnesses.

By the 19th Century, heterosexuality became the standard sexual orientation. Homosexuality was considered a diseased state which, if not treated, had to be suppressed. For this reason same-sex marriage was largely prohibited at the time.

In the 20th Century, as marriage became a shared lifelong partnership of love, sexual satisfaction and equality, differentiated gender roles within marriage began to wane. Historian, Stephanie Coontz, author of Marriage: A History, argues that, "... it was heterosexuals who revolutionized marriage to the point where gays and lesbians began to say, 'Oh, this applies to us now,' ... First love, then sexual satisfaction, and then, finally and not until the 1970s, the idea that marriage could be gender-neutral."

As Professor of Philosophy at University of Southern California, Ralph Wedgewood explains, an extension of this change in the social meaning of marriage provides the basis for legitimizing same-sex marriage:

In general, the social meaning of marriage must change whenever such changes are necessary to avoid injustice. The social meaning must now be changed so that it no longer excludes the participation of same-sex couples.

Advertisement

The changing attitude towards normalizing same-sex marriage

Writing for The Punch (Aug. 09) Tony Pitman highlights the key issue at hand here – marriage is not devalued by allowing same-sex marriage:

... to all those who think that allowing same-sex couples to marry somehow devalues the institution of marriage; it doesn't. Marriage remains the same legal institution with all the same rights and responsibilities attached. Nothing changes except that a sector of the population that has traditionally been discriminated against is now allowed to marry. ...

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. All

This is an abridged version of the original article which you can download here.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

28 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Clarrie Burke was formerly Associate Professor in Education at QUT. In retirement he has been an executive member of Amnesty International (Queensland) and joint coordinator of the Queensland Schools Amnesty Network.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Clarrie Burke

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 28 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy