Marriage is a commitment and at the same time an obligation.A traditional marriage happens between a man and a woman.
Same-sex marriage is one of the crucial contemporary issue in this modern era.From it’s own word,a marriage between with persons with same sex. LGBTQIA+(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual.The "plus" represents other sexual identities including pansexual and Two-Spirit. This community are battling for a long years for their rights.Battling for the so called gender equality.In the Philippines,this kind of civil marriage is forbidden but legalized in other countries specially in western countries.
According to the article of Rosie Perper as of May 27,2020,there are 29 countries around the world where same-sex marriage is legal.
There are currently only 29 countries that allow same-sex couples to marry.
Keep scrolling to read the full list:
1. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriages.
Source: CBS New
2. Belgium followed suit in 2003 and granted equal rights to same-sex married couples.
Source: The Guardian
3. In 2005, the Canadian Parliament passed legislation making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.
Source: CBC News
4. Also in 2005, a closely divided Spanish parliament agreed to do the same.
Source: New York Times
5. After South Africa's highest court ruled the country's marriage laws violated the constitution’s guarantee of equal rights, parliament legalized same-sex marriage in 2006.
Source: NBC News
6. In 1993 Norway allowed gay couples to enter civil unions, but it took until 2008 for a Norway to pass a gender-neutral marriage law.
Source: NBC News
7. In 2009, Sweden voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.
Source: BBC News
8.Iceland's parliament voted unanimously to legalize same-sex marriage in 2010.
Source: The Telegraph
9. Portugal has also allowed same-sex marriage since 2010, after legislation was originally challenged by the country's president.
Source: The Guardian
10. In 2010, Argentina became the first Latin American country to allow same-sex marriage.
Source: The Guardian
11. Denmark's legalization came in 2012 after Queen Margrethe II gave her royal assent to the proposed legislation.
Source: BBC News
12. Uruguay passed legislation allowing same-sex marriage in 2013.
Source: BBC News
13. In 2013, New Zealand became the first country in the Asia-Pacific to legislate for same-sex marriage.
Source: SBS News
14. President Francois Hollande signed a measure legalizing marriage equality in France in 2013.
Source: The Guardian
15. Brazil’s National Council of Justice ruled that same-sex couples should not be denied marriage licenses in 2013, allowing same-sex marriages to begin across the country.
Source: The Australian
16. England and Wales became the first countries in the UK to pass marriage equality in 2014.
Source: BBC News
17. Scotland voted overwhelmingly in favor of of legalizing same-sex marriage later in 2014.
Source: BBC News
18. Luxembourg overwhelmingly approved legislation to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed and to adopt children that went into effect in 2015.
Source: Reuters
19. Finland approved a marriage equality bill in 2014.
Source: Reuters
20. Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote in 2015.
Source: BBC News
21. Greenland, the world's biggest island, passed same-sex legislation in 2015.
Source: Copenhagen Post
22. The United States Supreme Court made marriage equality federal law in 2015.
Source: CNN
23. Colombia became the fourth Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2016.
Source: BBC News
24. In 2017, Germany became the 15th European country to allow same-sex couples to wed.
Source: New York Times
25. In 2017, nearly all of Malta's parliament voted in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.
Source: The Independent
26. Australia legalized same-sex marriage in 2017 after lawmakers enacted the will of the majority of citizens who overwhelmingly voted for the measure by postal vote.
27.Taiwan made history on May 24, 2019, becoming the first place in Asia to pass laws on marriage equality.
28. Ecuador's highest court approved same-sex marriage in a 5-4 ruling.
Source: BBC
29.Costa Rica became the first Central American country to legalize same-sex marriage on May 26, 2020.
Even though some countries legalized same-sex marriage,I’m against on it.I accepted who they are-the LGBTQIA+ community and also wants a gender equality but not the equilibrium in terms of marriage.
Several Reasons why I’m not Upvoting Same-Sex Marriage in the Philippines
The Religion
We are dominantly Roman Catholic.Most of the Filipinos embrace Catholicism.It’s such a disgrace in our religion if it’s legalized.I have watched KMJS (Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho)- a television program that tell a vast range of topics hosted by Jessica Soho. A multiawarded broadcast journalist. One of the topic aired by the program last Sunday night is about a gay who have a wife and children.He left his wife and express his true self.As of now he have a partner and living decently.Based on Fr. Francis Lucas (President of Catholic Media Network)- “Ano mang uri ng tao basta taong nilalang ng Diyos ay mahal ng Diyos at ang pagmamahal ng Cristo at Diyos ay hindi pwedeng matawaran anumang uri ng tao ikaw maging.Ang same-sex marriage ay hindi pa rin pinapayagan ngunit sa mga ganyang sitwasyon,walang taong pwedeng humusga sa kapwa niya .Pwede natin silang tulungan,turuan,pagsabihan pero huwag na huwag at saka sabi ni Pope Francis “Huwag nating itatakwil,lalaitin,isususumbat ang lahat ng uri ng tao”.
The Constitution
The Republic of the Philippines embraced the rules and principles of Philippine 1987 Constitution.
The Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order no. 209) was signed into law by the President Corazon Aquino on July 06,1987.It governs the basic law about family and marriage.
Family Code Article 1 states that "Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life".
Article 2. No marriage shall be valid, unless these essential requisites are present:
(1) Legal capacity of the contracting parties who must be a male and a female; and
(2) Consent freely given in the presence of the solemnizing officer.
The Family Code of the Philippines strictly opposes same-sex marriage.It’s main interest is to preserve the traditional marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The President
According to the article of Darryl John Esguerra seven months ago,President Rodrigo Duterte supports gender equality but he is not in favor of either church or civil marriage among same-sex couples, his spokesperson Harry Roque said Thursday.
Harry Roque( issued the statement when asked about the President’s stand on the contentious sexual orientation and gender identity expression (SOGIE) bill, which is currently being tackled by a House panel.
The Palace official said that while Duterte supports equality regardless of sexual orientation, he is letting lawmakers iron out details of the proposed legislation that aims to protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ members.
“Malinaw na malinaw po ang paninidigan ng ating Presidente. naniniwala po siya na lahat ng Pilipino ay pantay-pantay anuman ang kanilang kasarian,” Roque said in a televised press briefing.
“Pero hahayaan na po natin sa Kongreso kung ano ang magiging pinal na bersyon ng SOGIE bill. Ang Presidente naman po ay nagsabi…hindi po sang-ayon ang Presidente sa same-sex marriage, be it church or civil hindi po siya sang-ayon,” he added.
The Survey
According to the study released by the SWS (Social Weather Stations) three years ago, about 61 percent of Filipinos said they disagree with the proposed law that would permit same-sex marriages in the country.
The SWS study showed that about 44 percent of the total 1,200 surveyed nationwide said they “strongly disagree” with the proposed law while 17 percent said they “somewhat disagree” with it. The SWS survey ran from from March 23 to 27, 2018.
The SWS noted that most of those who opposed belong to Christian denominations, followed by members of the Muslim and Roman Catholic faiths.
Meanwhile, 22 percent of the surveyed respondents said they agree with the proposal to have a same-sex marriage law in the country.
The survey also revealed that about 16 percent of the respondents said they are still undecided on their support to the proposed law.
The SWS study was conducted using a face-to-face interview with 1,200 respondents.
However, the polling body did not specifically identify if the respondents were members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community.
Conclusion
All in all, we should not upvote same-sex marriage in the country because it’s unnatural and the government should focused on a more significant priorities like this that we are facing a health crisis.Discrimination is a part of our society.It’s a virus in our sovereignty.We can’t change the mindset and approach of the some citizens in LGBTQIA+ people but we can be an instrument to advocate,educate,and promote the bad effects of discrimination in one’s body.They want an equality in the world we walk in but for me equality has limitation.Same-Sex marriage is not the key to promote equipoise in every corner of the country but the equality is to treat people equal no matter what is their gender.Pursuit of happiness is everyone’s birthright.Same-Sex couples can live happily and whatever they want but they cannot demand that the state recognized them because the constitution,the Philippine 1987 Constitution doesn't allow such union. Marriage between man and a woman was established by God and no Earthly court can alter that- Bobby Jindal.
References:
www.businessinsider.com/where-is-same-sex-marriage-legal-world-2017-11%3famp
Image References:
https://owlcation.com/humanities/catholic-symbols
https://jhoygdllawjournal.wordpress.com/2017/10/17/article-96-of-the-family-code-of-the-philippines/
www.ucanews.com/amp/duterte-sides-with-catholic-church-on-same-sex-marriage/78716
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/30/18/61-pct-of-pinoys-against-legalizing-same-sex-marriage-sws
I think now is the right time to legalize same-sex marriage here in the Philippines. The contributions of the members of our community are already enough for them to allow that. And more people are now open and accepting towards the LGBTQIA+ Community. 🏳️🌈♥️