Did Canada, Germany, France and the Netherlands campaign more/differently than the United States to gain Equal Marriage Rights. Do you know if they campaigned more to educate people about this issue or do you think that the anti-gay/religious groups were not as powerful as they are in the US 'defending' traditional marriage.
2007-07-05 15:42:07 · 6 answers · asked by Leah 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
In most cases they introduced Civil unions or Domestic Partners, and after a few years passed, and people saw that the sky did not fall down, they introduced gay marriage, or increased the rights of civil partnership to be the legal equivalent of marriage.
In some cases, court rulings increased the pressure upon the government to comply with social changes, as in Canada.
Some countries in Europe saw so much discrimination in WWII (gays were gassed by the Nazis along with Jews, Gypsies and Blacks), that equal rights for gays made sense to their societies.
In South africa, after they threw out the Whie Supremicist Minority Government and ended Apartheid, they passed the most liberal Constiution on earth, being the first Consitution to guarantee Equal Rights for gays.
This is ironic, considering that while once South Africa was the world's leader for oppression and inequality, they quickly became the leader for equal rights for gays, only in a couple decades . . .
2007-07-06 07:15:57 · answer #1 · answered by Kedar 7 · 8⤊ 0⤋
Neither same-sex marriage nor its equivalent is recognized in France or Germany, although it is in Spain, Belgium and South Africa, as well as Massachusetts in the USA.
Civil Unions are recognized in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Iceland, France, Germany, Portugal, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Andorra, Czech Republic, Slovenia, & Switzerland.
The efforts were more lobbying than campaigns, because the laws were enacted by the legislatures/parliaments, rather than by popular ballot.
These countries are by and large not religious, so the religious arguments held much less sway there. The fairness issue won the day.
2007-07-05 23:49:19 · answer #2 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I remember some television news channel addressing that exact question. Basically the Canadians, as well as the other nations you mentioned, are more of al liberal minded society. Whereas in America, our society norm is more conservative based on Judeo-Christians moral and ethics. In other words, more Americans go to church and hold onto these beliefs more so than some of these more progressive societies.
2007-07-06 01:05:33 · answer #3 · answered by Hadley N 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a bit of both, but in general, Europeans are less uptight about sex and gender than we are in North America, and there are a lot less Canadians, which makes it easier to do things.
2007-07-07 01:51:19 · answer #4 · answered by Rat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wish I knew but we should take lessons from them.
2007-07-05 22:45:55 · answer #5 · answered by For Da Be Dan- Liza p 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
not sure u should try google for more help though
2007-07-05 22:46:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋