I read a report yesterday that said the Church of England basically viewed same-sex marriage as the catalyst that would bring about the destruction of our civilisation. Ok, so that’s probably a bit of an over exaggeration of their claims against same-sex marriage but there are some people who actually believe that it will!

Now before I comment further, I have to admit a couple of things. First, I am (and have always been) a Christian and am a member of the United Reformed Church. Second, I am a lesbian and had a civil partnership with my partner of over 12 years in 2008 and we are still together and happy. Therefore you could say I have a view from both sides of the argument.

There are much better blogs and articles out there on this subject, but from my perspective, how does marrying two people of the same sex who love each other and are committed to each other ‘demean’ marriage between a man and a woman? How does it go against Gods will (as if any of us could even speak for God anyway!)? In my opinion, if two people love one another why shouldn’t they get married? It’s not going to stop ‘traditional’ marriage is it?! It’s not encouraging paedophilia (no more prevalent in the gay community than in the straight). It’s not going to encourage spousal abuse (again, happens in straight relationships as well as gay ones). It’s not even going to make people in straight marriages feel any less valued/married is it?

From a Christian point of view, I know that people argue it goes against the Bible – to which I say that a lot of the Bible is interpreted based on society ‘at the time of writing’ and we don’t follow the bits that are now deemed incompatible with modern life (we don’t stone people for adultery for example!) so why do people pick on the few bits that appear to be against homosexuality? Why would marrying same-sex couples in church cause the downfall of mankind? And why would a loving, caring God what some people to feel inferior to others just because they love someone of the same sex?  I really don’t understand! We all know that ‘straight’ marriages suffer from divorce, adultery, abuse, etc so how can a same-sex marriage make it worse?

What it will do is give people in same sex relationships the chance to feel as valued as those in straight ones, to be able to explain in a legal document and to other people that their partner is their wife or husband without awkwardness or embarrassment. It will allow me and my partner to be the same as our married friends and family, though we are lucky in that they already treat us as such.  Yes, civil partnerships are great and give us nearly the same standings, but its still a distinction which doesn’t need to be there and reinforces the difference between a straight and a gay relationship.

Yes married gay and lesbian couples will have affairs and get divorced just like their straight counterparts but it will not lead to a breakdown of society, it will just show us to the world as an open and inclusive society – just like we should be!!