Introduction The introduction of the article involves analysis of various literature and researches on the policies and laws that govern lesbian and gay equality. The mention of the different definitions and arguments pave the way for the introduction of the UK Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Taylor 589). According to the introduction part of the reading, same-sex legal recognition has always revolved around two specific positions that are framing the lesbian law towards equality or view acknowledgment as an accommodation to heterosexual values and the damage of distinct changes, methods of being and social practices (Taylor 584; Binnie 45). Furthermore, it states that legislative alterations enforce reassessment of families individually …show more content…
More so, it implicates people who may fall under a category that the society feel uncomfortable with. The reading comes up with its conclusion from the investigation with 60 participants to come up with the argument. The respondents are categorized into classes, namely, working-class and middle-class backgrounds to reflect the importance of class in the tussle for sexual citizenship in the perspective of the United Kingdom Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Taylor 588). It further states that while parenting is different from matters of collaborating they are associated with, not least in the methods that such strategies themselves appear relations, offering new potentials for public appreciation, legitimate option, and access to well-being services. The subject of money matters is important, resourcing – or repudiating – numerous prospects whereas class and sexuality also interconnect in the structure of ‘normal’, ‘ordinary’ residents now ready for inclusion (Taylor 589). Moreover, the article’s arguments are based on the numerous interviewees who experienced fluctuating topography uncertainty. The benefits of middle-class parents are re-constituted and re-embedded in altering legal perspectives (Taylor 593). To sum it up, the section clearly illustrates the argument and explanations related to it. Structure of the
In recent decades, there has been a shift in the definition of a family to better suit the new emerging alternative family arrangements in today’s society. A family is defined as the natural and fundamental group unit of society especially in relation to the upbringing of children. However, this Eurocentric, nuclear family construct has evolved as alternative family arrangements such as de-facto and same sex relationships as well as adoptive families have become part of the term ‘family’. The domestic legal system has introduced and amended laws to deal with these contemporary issues. Similarly, there are non-legal responses such as the media and various non-governmental organisations, which advocate for various changes to the law in order to achieve greater justice for these families.
Although marriage is a societal value, there has been a sharp increase in the instances of alternative family relationships, a phenomenon the law has been relatively quick to respond to. BOCSAR figures show that from 1987 to 2007, the number of married couples developed from 63% to 62%, which in the same period the number of de facto relationships (both heterosexual and homosexual) grew from 6% to 9%. As such, a new movement sources desire for
Society’s opinions are constantly, and rapidly changing, and consequently this poses significant challenges to the family law system in Australia. A family is a social unit containing individuals related by blood, marriage or other legally recognised relationships. Family law reforms have been implemented over the past three decades, entailing the recognition of same sex couples. Furthermore, a statutory presumption of shared parenting – as instigated by society’s transitioning values – displays the changing nature of parental responsibility. Not only are society’s views progressing, but surrogacy and birth technologies are
For Australian law to be effective it must be dynamic so it can reflect changing societal views, which law reform can help attain. A significant area of recent social change is the acceptance of same-sex relationships in Australian society. To mirror this, current law reforms have been somewhat effective in achieving just outcomes regarding the recognition of same-sex relationships in Commonwealth law. The combination of official recognition of same-sex relationships to an extent, attempts at removing discrimination in legislation, and the delay of justice denotes this. Considering the achievement of justice and the protection of individual’s rights, it is evident that law reform has significantly improved recognition of same-sex relationships, but there are more essential responses that need to be enacted.
This essay will be critically analyzing the social policy of same sex marriage using four Australian newspaper articles to demonstrate and examine how inequality through diversity and difference are present and experienced in the public domain. The essay will draw upon What ideological values and assumptions are present in both the newspaper articles and social policy?, What are the social justice concerns in relation to the current same sex policy?, concluding with a reflective component exploring where in relation to the social policy issue I am as a developing social worker.
This cultural and societal shift has set forth us to question more than just marriage equality. We are now faced with redefining roles and most importantly the power and control these roles possess. Who will be considered the ‘bread winner’ in a lesbian marriage? Who will now take the role of the stay at home mom in a gay marriage? And furthermore, when considering a lesbian marriage, who then will become a greater financial contributor to the economy to help in maintaining the capitalist machine? Even further, how will this effect the gender wage gap?
All families face challenges in their everyday life. For some, the challenges are easier to handle while for others, surmounting those challenges can be more difficult. Over the years, the LGBT community in the US has faced many hurdles. Whether it’s the legalization of same-sex marriage to adoption rights to alimony, child support and child custody in case of divorce, legislation specific to gay and lesbian couples still has a long way to go.
It can be argued that marriage equality is the paramount issue for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) in Australia, and worldwide. The push for marriage equality has been at the forefront of debate for many years, especially in Australia, where same-sex couples are still unable to marry under Australian law. Despite the recognition of same-sex matrimony in
Jones observe (2002: 15). In these ways, institutionalized heterosexuality is central to some of the key motivation(s) behind and design of public policy frameworks in the United States. By “institutionalized heterosexuality” I am referring to the set of ideas, institutions and relationships that make the heterosexual family the societal norm, while rendering homosexual/queer families “abnormal” or “deviant” (Ingraham 1999). My queer analysis of social welfare involves examining how sexuality and gender can be rethought and reorganized in economic and social policy frameworks, theories and practices. Throughout the article I examine how heterosexuality is assumed to be the natural basis for defining the family, and by extension, society, both explicitly (by excluding LGBT people from the analysis and by stigmatizing certain individuals as “non-family” or “anti-family”) and implicitly (by assuming that all people are heterosexual, that marriage is a given and exists only between a traditionally-defined man and woman, and that all people fit more or less into traditional gender roles; see Foucault 1978; Fraser and Gordon 1994; Ingraham 1999; Phelan 2001;
Among innumerable reasons why marriage equality should be legalized in Australia, a prominent one is that restricting the option to marry any citizen is discriminatory and unconstitutional. This sort of treatment not only deprives every-day people of their dignity, creating a second class of citizens, but also suggests that LGBTI+ people are somehow unworthy of participation in one of the fundamental institutions of our society. A lack of opportunity to formalize same-sex relations implies that these relationships aren 't of equal standard, exacerbating unjust prejudice and intolerance. This impression is promoted through the lack of financial, medical and social rights associated with marriage to individuals in a civil union, the supposed 'adequate equivalent ' for marriage. Although the legalisation of marriage equality would have no impact on non-LGBTI+ communities,
Canada’s laws are presented to be unbiased and non-discriminatory. The law promises every individual the right to life, freedom of expression, well-being and uses sparkly language to prove that no one is above the law despite sexual orientation (Canadian Human Rights Act, 1985). However, this is not the case in regards to homosexual individuals. This paper will discuss how homosexual suffer from discriminatory laws in their everyday lives. The discriminatory laws further lead to myths, ideologies and labels that are imposed on homosexuals (Fedders, pgs.787-789, 2006). Also, in this piece of writing two cases will be introduced to further prove how the law can be discriminatory even though it appears to be sparkly with persuasive language
Strongly against gay marriage is the central theme of Louis P. Sheldon’s article Gay Marriage “Unnatural”. According to the author’s views, gay marriage is ‘unnatural’, and
In Journal of Human Rights published in 2014, after the Equalities Act of 2010 enacted, the United Kingdom sees sexuality and gender identities as “protected characteristics,” with legal imperatives to address discrimination, and in Canada in the early 1990s, there were an opposition against gays and lesbian rights, but after sexual orientation recognized in 1995, gradually by 2013, gays and lesbians have equality rights. (Browne, 2014)
“I Would Rather Have a Traditional Wedding”: How Legal Constraints Effect Marriage and Family Formations in Lesbian and Homosexual Couples
Gay and lesbian marriages or partnerships have been increasing since the 1980’s (Macionis & Plummer, 2012). Moreover, in some countries such as the United States, gay couples are allowed to adopt children (Macionis & Plummer, 2012). Kimmel