Homosexual Rights.

Four out of the 50 states in the United States have now legalized gay marriage (the latest being Vermont).

What does everyone think about this?

Only 4?
I thought it was more than that.
I think it's legal everywhere in Britain.
But now that I think about it, i'm not sure...

I think legalized means it is considered in the same way as a heterosexual marriage. I know other states have civil unions, which are kind of like marraiges, but without some rights. I'm not sure about specifics though

Ah, right, I get it.
I think that's what we've got here. I don't think they can get married in churches. A friend of a friend got kicked out of his church when he came out, so I doubt it.

The uk supports civil partnerships but not officially gay marriages. Although civil partnerships are basically a marriage there are differences.

questionable content:

I think legalized means it is considered in the same way as a heterosexual marriage. I know other states have civil unions, which are kind of like marraiges, but without some rights. I'm not sure about specifics though

States like New York and New Jersey recognize gay marriage performed in other states but won't perform them themselves.

Just Steph...:

Ah, right, I get it.
I think that's what we've got here. I don't think they can get married in churches. A friend of a friend got kicked out of his church when he came out, so I doubt it.

Yeah, sometimes that happens. I got kicked out of my church too when I came out.
My country hasn't legalised gay marriages yet because more than half of the population is Islamic, and being gay "is condemned" in the religion. But, there's still hope.

i think your right, being gay is much more common now and eventually they'll have to realize that and accept it

I don't have anything against gay people, and I think they should be treated like everyone else. I have a gay friend and he's not offended by people who go like, "Oh, that shirt is so gay!" or something. I have nothing against gay people.

However, I don't think gay marriage should be legal because I see marriage as specifically between a man and a woman. I don't have anything against two people of the same sex getting married, but I just think it should be two members of the opposite sex getting married.

i think that homosexuals should be given the same rights as straights.

im straight and i think its wrong when you hear on the news that homosexual couples cant get maried jus casue they are gay/lesbian.

i thought it was even more wrong when the dude who was trying to become the arch bishop in england and wasnt
alowed because he was gay.

i wanted to punch my mom when i told her about my two friends.
one is Bisexual
the other is Gay.

she told me to stay away.

i could have popped...
i wanted to hurt her cause it made me feel angry that she told me to stay away jus cause they were homosexual.

thjis may have dwelled of the subject.
sorry .x.

i have loads of gay friends, and to me their no differnt to any one of us. Just because some one likes the same sex doesnt mean they should be treated differently in my opinon. BOINGage is right, that man who was gay and tried to become the arch bishop was restricted of his human rights. Human rights state that each person should have a EQUAL opinion on things, EQUAL chances in life and EQUAL jobs. not to metion that all humans have a right to marriage. Gay people not being aloud to marry is like your child not being able to go to school because of his/her hair colour! Its ridiculous!! In my books, every person, bisexual, gay, or straight, should have equal rights to forefill their dreams and asperations in life.
So in the end who cares if two people that are gay want to get married? Its a big thing in life, marriage. it means you actually LOVE the person and you want to spend the rest of your life together with them.

nameless...:

I don't think gay marriage should be legal because I see marriage as specifically between a man and a woman. I just think it should be two members of the opposite sex getting married.

Happy birthday; it's my Mom's birthday too today. I am just curious as to WHY you think marriage should be restricted to male/female only?

In the UK you are allowed to have a Civil Partnership.
Which basically means that it's recognized that your partners. I've just been having a glance through what the Internet has to say about the difference between a Civil Partnership and a Marriage. In the eyes of the government it's practically the same thing, the difference is that Marriage is still classified as a religious ceremony. Whereas a Civil Partnership ceremony cannot be performed in a church -or maybe there are a few individual exceptions-.
At the end of the day it all leads to joint taxes, you know how those governments like our money.
Personally, I think it's silly that they have to have different names. I don't know if that means that homosexual couples can say their married or not but still, its all the same really.

Though my father was very homophobic, which used to drive me insane. I'm bi-sexual, and usually I don't tell people. I'm not ashamed of who I am but the terms "In-decisive" and "greedy" annoy me after a while. It's usually when people don't understand something that they decide they need to throw their two pennies worth in.
I also grew up in a fairly religious background. God created man to lay next to a woman. Adam and Eve.
But he also created us to have a free mind. With individual thoughts and feelings. If he can forgive people from different religions and culture's for not believing in him, and can forgive people who choose not to follow him. Why can't he forgive those who choose to love someone of the same sex as them?
That went slightly off topic I apologize.

The problem is, people are so hypocritical. No-one wants to open their eyes and see the world. Love for a woman is just the same as love for a man, we're equal, we apparently live in an equal society.

I can find out the Governments opinion on Gay and Lesbian adoption/fostering when I get home -my mothers a social worker-.

Okay- my friends and I debate this often, due to the fact we have friends who are bisexual.

Here's a question to think about.
If God created all mankind, why does the church say that He hates gay people?
How can He hate something He created?

^ I think, by that reasoning, you could suggest that if God does not hate homosexuals, then he does not hate murderers, people who "take His name in vain", and all the other people that are usually looked down upon by God, even if He did create them.

Or it could just be the issue that "God gave us free will", and people are free to use it as they wish, and for some, that is homosexuality.

Uhm... I'm no genius about religion, but murderers and sinners, aren't the giving into the temptations of the devil or something.

Because the devil is always trying to people to act against god's will?

Sorry if I'm completely wrong, like I said, I don't know

The devil -from what I remember- doesn't have much to do with religion as the big red, pitchforked monster with horns people imagen.
It's to do with good and Evil, right and wrong...but this is going of subject and I dont remember exactly.

My mum is a social worker and I asked about the policies for Gay and Lesbian couples adopting/fostering.
All homosexual couples are treated exactly the same as straight couples and make fantastic perents.
She said, in the case of fostering -which is usually when a child has been removed from his or her perents due to lack of care- gay couples can have a better effect on a child. Say a young girl was beaten and raped by her father then her going into a family where there are two mothers can be better for the child's health.

^^^ that's a very thoughtful remark, I never would have thought of the 2 mothers being more beneficial in that way.

Although sometimes it can be better to grow up with both genders, however that is not always possible and not always better.. everything depends on circumstances

William Control:

sometimes it can be better to grow up with both genders

Meh, I don't think it matters. Lord knows I've encountered tons of people (including myself) who were colossally screwed up by their hetero parents.