Neither Prejudice Can Tear Them Apart

Changes have been taking place throughout the world in the last few decades when it comes to homosexual rights, and Brazil is now facing such changes, getting one more step closer to equality. Nowadays, people from developed and emerging countries have been claiming themselves as modern and “enlightened” human beings, but that does not sound quite right when homosexual rights are at stake. Even though it is said that we live in a laicist democracy and in a society where almost everyone publicly supports equal rights to everybody and claims that any kind of prejudice should not be acceptable, the truth is far different when the prejudice and rights in question are related to gay people.

Although the situation has gotten better in the last years – with all these gay parades, anti-homophobia programs, some supportive politicians and famous people who embrace the cause – society still treats the union of two individuals of the same sex as a taboo, something sick and abhorrent that should not be permitted. Nevertheless, same-sex marriage should be seen as something normal which does not affects anyone else’s rights and contributes to the building of equality.

Opposing to these ideas, some people believe that gay marriage should be completely discouraged, most commonly claiming that kind of union is unnatural and marriage should be only between a man and a woman, the purpose of it is to start a family and raise children and, on top of all these arguments, it goes against the laws of God.

First of all, same-gender sex had always been considered something quite normal in the past. Only in the middle age and after the rise of Christianity – which declared sex itself as a sin and same-gender relationships as a devil-related thing – people started being chased, punished and murdered because of their sexuality. As a consequence, this kind of relationship became a taboo, something considered prohibited and unnatural by the society; meanwhile a relationship between a man and a woman was the only true union. However, it is so true that same-gender sex was normal before Christianity, that the word “homosexual” did not even exist in ancient times, and Plato has maintained in one of his speeches that “homosexuality is regarded as shameful by barbarians and by those who live under despotic governments just as philosophy is regarded as shameful by them, because it is apparently not in the interest of such rulers to have great ideas engendered in their subjects, or powerful friendships or passionate love-all of which homosexuality is particularly apt to produce”.

If the purpose of marriage is to raise children, then older people or people who do not want to have kids were not to be allowed to marry. Nowadays, family standards have changed and families are more cautious so they choose not to have that bunch of children as old-time families used to have; some families even choose not to have any. Moreover, people who get married at an older age or people who have problems in their reproductive system cannot even have biological children. However, these people’s union is considered by law and society as family, proving that children are not something mandatory in order to establish a steady relationship and this should also be applied to homosexual couples.

Furthermore, we live in a laicist country where the constitution rules over the bible. But, even though people have been opening their minds and thinking for themselves instead of strictly following what they are told in the church or place of worship, we still live in a state dangerously rooted in one single religion which has much influence over the law. Nevertheless, given the fact that we live in a republic that, in theory, should have its law completely separated from any religion, gay-marriage could not be prohibited, reason for prejudice or denied no matter what any religion’s beliefs say.

On top of all these arguments, in the Brazilian constitution it is written that each and every citizen has the same rights and therefore, so do gay couples in comparison with straight couples. When recognized by the state as a steady relationship capable of establishing family, straight couples are assured rights such as life insurance, right to inheritance and compensation, facilities to adopting children and many other rights that gay couples – as Brazilians who carry out their duties as citizens – should also be assured simply by the fact the law hereby declares every single person in this country as equals.

In a modern and well-educated society, gay marriage and homosexuals themselves should not be seen as something unnatural and unmoral, but as people who deserve the same rights as everyone else. The acceptance of gay marriage – not only by the law, but by society itself – would be of vital importance in the fight against prejudice and one big victory in the battle for equality, giving these people – who are not better or worse than anyone else – the opportunity to marry the one he or she loves.