Lots of the normal cockwaffle from the religious right in the UK (mostly tories but with some fellow travelers from around the house) about how marriage is purely a thing between male and female, ordained by their version of god. (The numbers aren’t in yet on the Public Whip site).
The gem of the debate as far as I’m concerned comes from former Conservative defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth who believes there is a “aggressive homosexual community” out there. I assume they’re badgering him to get out there for a bit of cottaging and demanding that there are compulsory lessons in various “deviant” sexual practices from the day kids start at school.
So here’s a thing, there’s nothing in any law which says “you must be gay” or “you must fuck people of the same sex”, in the same way there is no law saying that sexual intercourse must occur only at home, with the lights off and then without any contraception with the aim of creating lots and lots of babies for god and country.
Apparently Sir Gerald fears that “there are plenty in the aggressive homosexual community who see this as but a stepping stone to something even further”. No details on the “something” of course, allowing him to slur anyone who supports the bill as supporting all sorts of possible evils.
Let’s have a look at some of the things which have been hinted at in the past.
- Pagan Weddings – Where’s the problem, seriously…
- Polyamourous (multiple partner) weddings – Again, seriously where’s the problem. Ok the pension and other aspects will be a bitch but is this about tradition (I’m sure there are plenty of traditions out there which can be called on to support this one) or jealousy
- Beastality – Errr, even if you believe the “aggressive gays” are in support of this it’s not going to happen if only because various other animal protection laws and “consent” kick in.
- Child weddings – Age of consent / Various UN and EU controls etc etc, again not going to happen
So, Sir Gerald, please go back to the 14th Century where you belong.