Much of the political efforts taken up by ex-gay seminars has focused on activism to oppose any recognition of same-sex couples. According to Alan Chambers, leader of Exodus, this is to counter efforts by gays to be treated “equal, as people who are the same as heterosexuals”.
However, much of the rest of the free world has reached the conclusion that same-sex relationships are worthy of respect and support and that gay persons are to be treated as equal in the eyes of the law (though sometimes separate).
This week South Africa joined Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Canada (and the state of Massachusetts) in legalizing marriage between persons of the same sex.
Most of Europe and several large cities, states, and provinces in Latin America, Australia and the United States have some form of recognition for same-sex couples. But this is the first such action on the African continent. If Taiwan goes as expected, there will be recognition for same-sex couples soon in Asia. Israel has been moving in the direction of limited recognition in the middle east.
At some point our very divided country will need to decide whether to take the counsel of the ex-gays and anti-gays and allign itself on this issue with the dictators, islamacists, and remaining communist countries, or whether it wishes to join the other free democracies of the world.
UPDATE:
It’s now official.
Well, since we haven’t joined the rest of the free democracies on torture, environmental issues, socialized health care or the death penalty, I wouldn’t hold my breath. *sigh*
I’d say it’ll take at least a generation more to get that kind of recognition in the US.
I think we need to first allow equal protection for same-sex couples for purposes of immigration. Israel has had this for a short while and most of Europe does too. There are something like 19 or 20 countries that do. Even some South American countries are ahead of this on equal protection. And very often it starts with immigration. Not to toot my own cause here, but there is a law that has been sitting in committee for 4 years or so called the UAFA that would rectify the situation for American binational couples. It is going to be baby steps like this (Americans are for good or for worse, resistant to quick changes) that will lead toward full recognition for same-sex couples.