Same Sex Marriage, the New Social Trend

Society and culture has never been consistent. While it is true that certain traditions continue to the present as they have always been practiced in the past, many cultural institutions are in a continual state of change. What was unacceptable yesterday may be acceptable today and vice versa.

One such cultural institution that has been constantly changing is the institution of marriage. In itself, it is already a highly diverse institution with different cultures adhering to their own beliefs and practices. Looking at the global community however, some parts of the world have arrived at similar legal and social understandings of marriage.

Since time immemorial, the family has been seen as the basic building block of society. Without families, there is nothing. With the idea of family building naturally comes along the institution of marriage which is basically the primary institution by which families are born. Generally, in the modern world, a family's basic definition lies in its composition: a father, a mother, and children. In this typical sense, a father and a mother are understood to be a married male and female.

At present however, there has emerged a less typical concept of family and marriage with the emergence of same sex couples and same sex marriage (SSM). Although these are not new concepts, its radical departure from what has been the usual practice for decades has naturally elicited a maelstrom of controversy with opponents claiming that the social acceptance of SSM may forever destroy the family.

The opponents of SSM argue that by changing the social definition of marriage, its primary function of family building and therefore procreation will be undermined. What some do not realize however, is that the emergence of SSM may only be another inevitable outcome of social dynamism.

In the past, marriage, family and sexuality were not as they are now. In Sparta, Greece adolescent males were pushed by their parents to enter into unions with older military men. Although these unions were intended for military mentoring, such unions were not bereft of affection, sex and even love with attachments continuing until old age, and even after one or both partners procure wives. Similarly in Lesbos, Greece, the female supporters of Sappho also engaged in same sex relationships. At some time in China, Rome and Egypt some form of same sex unions have also been culturally supported. It was perhaps with the decline of ancient civilizations that such practices have been outlawed by succeeding cultures.

At the dawn of the modern era, things began to change. Homosexuality was once again regarded as an abnormality with atrocious acts of persecution perpetuated towards homosexuals. During the Second World War, homosexuals shared the gas chambers and the crematorium with the Jews.

After World War II however, democracy and now media have begun to creep into society's collective consciousness and with them they bring the message of self-determination and freedom of expression.

With the inherent freedom to just be also comes the freedom to make choices. Today, what were once socially unacceptable choices such as divorce, cohabitation, and same sex relationships are now visibly within reach.

Although it may still take some time for society to completely accept SSM, it is obvious that the movement towards it is simply part of social fickleness.