Americans' acceptance of marriage between people of different races continues to grow and is approaching unanimity, with 86% now approving of marriages between blacks and whites. Widespread approval of interracial marriage is a dramatic shift from roughly 50 years ago when 4% approved, and even 20 years ago, when about half as many approved as do so today.
The trend mimics the growing support for gay marriage -- though Americans are still less likely to accept that practice than interracial marriage.
As the with the same-sex freedom to marry, most of the opposition to the interracial freedom to marry comes from older people, so in a few years there will be virtually nobody alive who still clings to the bigotry of the past. The same thing is going to happen with the polygamous freedom to marry and the consanguineous freedom to marry until we have full marriage equality.
So, to all of you out there who still don’t support full marriage equality: As long as you’re still alive, there’s time to join us on the right side of history. Full marriage equality is inevitable, but we can make it happen sooner rather than later. Nobody should have to live as second-class citizens any longer!
One thing I've heard from critics of gay marriage is that it will lead to exactly the thing that we want to happen - poly and incest marriages. We all need to work together to support the cause of full marriage equality. Everyone should have the freedom to marry the one (or ones) they love.
ReplyDelete-Liz
You're right, Liz. Everyone should be standing up against the attempts to control their love lives and marriages, and those of other people.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could be certain the critics were right. Laws and public attitudes aren't always as consistent as they should be. Is there any correlation in the US between the states that have long had the freedom to (heterosexual) first cousin marriages, and the ones that have the freedom to same sex marriage? California gives heterosexual first cousins the right to marry, but it also passed Prop H8, banning the same-sex freedom to marry.
There are countries where polygamy is accepted, but gays and lesbians can wind up in prison or worse just for being gay.
I do believe all of the freedoms and acceptances will come, just like they have with interracial marriage, but I want to help society get there sooner rather than later. YOU should be free to have your marriage legalized NOW. You should not have to wait 40 years.
Agreed! I want to help too in getting things legalized sooner. The less amount of time people have to wait or stay in the closet...the better. Unfortunately, our competition is the mass media, and more people listen to them.
ReplyDelete