Panel discusses shifts in same-sex marriage
The “Beyond Faith and Reason: Same-sex marriage” discussion on Wednesday night in Numen Lumen Pavilion focused on what religion has to say about homosexuality. Kate Bruce, assistant professor of sociology at Elon University, led a conversation on the history, morality and future of same-sex marriage. “We’re here to explore how the many religious, moral and family influences go together, and how we reconcile those when we’re set with a vote on same-sex marriage,” Bruce said. Bruce ran through a brief overview of the gay rights movement, noting marriage was not always at the forefront of the campaign. She said many gay people viewed marriage as inherently oppressive, so they focused their efforts on issues like employment nondiscrimination, custody rights and adoptive rights. The same-sex marriage debate took off on the national stage in 1991, when a lesbian couple in Hawaii sued over the state’s marriage restrictions. Many religious groups across the United States fired back; saying same-sex marriage violated the sanctity of marriage. Last year was a monumental year for same-sex couples, with 17 states and Washington D.C.
