by Agabu Ndhlovu

Created on: May 17, 2008   Last Updated: February 06, 2010

I now pronounce you Adam and Steve or I now pronounce you Anna and Eve. Such pronouncements are increasingly becoming the norm in some parts of the world. The idea of same-sex marriage has been front and centre on the world scene particularly in the so-called west. Countries like the Netherlands and Canada among a few others have signed into law legislation that recognises relationships involving people of the same sex as marriage. The classic definition of marriage as being simply between a man and a woman has been relegated to the arena of the outmoded and archaic. Much of this has happened all in the name of progress and human rights. But as we shall briefly see below the whole idea of same-sex marriage is at root very wrong.

In the first place, the whole concept of same-sex marriage is a misnomer. Marriage by its very nature recognises and celebrates the fundamental categories of personhood into which all people fall. If you are part of the human family you are either male and only male or you are female and only female at any given time for as long as you live. Men and Women in the highest sense are essentially human beings. As such at this level there is an equality that exists between them. However, while the humanity of both male persons and female persons guarantees their equality, their distinction defines for us a very real difference between them. That the human family consists of male and female is a fact of life. It is a fact of life that exists as is not because people invented it but because it has always been the case from the very beginning of human society. Unfortunately so-called same-sex relationships are unable to demonstrate this reality. In same-sex relationships, one of the two sexes defining the human family is missing. Classic marriage acknowledges and celebrates this reality. Same-sex marriage on the other hand does not, can not, and will not.

Secondly, by their very nature same-sex relationships negotiate away the equality of the sexes. Not only does same-sex marriage do this but it actually undermines this equality. If men and women are truly equal, their having relationships that demonstrate this are important to any human society. Classic marriage is the only one that does this. Same-sex marriage's insistence on the validity of it relegates either gender to the nether world of insignificance. The other sex in this form of relationship simply does not matter, what matters is as we are often told, "the gay man or the

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>