Introduction
In this chapter we shall be having an overview of same-sex marriage. The main purpose of this, is to first of all understand what same sex marriage is, how it came about. There is also an historical analysis that will enable us to arrive at the understanding of this overview. This chapter will also look at how it became present-day issue among the human society.
Explication of Words
Same
The word ‘same’ is an English usually used as an adjective. It simply means ‘similar’. identical with what is about to be or has just been mentioned: is gotten from the Greek word homós, Sanskrit samá from the oxford distortionary ‘same’ is defined as “not different as regard to itself” or that wich is reffered to when mentioned. talking about the ‘same’ which implies ‘sameness’ one is talking about that which is similar, exact, and alike .
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Sex
According to Cambridge dictionary: “sex is defined as the state of being either a male or female” It is important to distinguish between “sex” and “gender” though sometimes they are used interchangeably of which it is not supposed. This is because there uses and meaning are becoming distinct.
The terms, “sex” is simply referring to the natural differences between males and females, these differences are physical or physiological such as genitalia. More also referred to is genetic makeup, like height and muscularity. This implies that, when sex is talked about emphasis are made physiological and physical nature of an organism. A particular sex has a different hormone that makes it biologically and physiologically different.
Gender
Gender, is defined as: “social and cultural role of each sex in a given society”. In other words, gender refers to the individual behaviors and mannerisms, which can manifest in personal traits, and social positions of being female or male that the society attributes to every individual. In our world today, people change their gender-role base on what is attainable in a certain society. In a sense we can say that: “Gender characteristics, make reference to the social-construct of women and men, which manifests as norms, roles, and relationships between groups of both Men and Wome, nevertheless, it varies from society to society and as well can be changed.”
Same-sex Marriage
The term “same-sex” simply means like sex which can be put in this way a man and a man or a woman and a woman. Same-sex marriage can be simply defined as marriage or union between people of same sex. Going by the explications made earlier, in same sex we refer to people with the same biological make-up which is basically associated with the genitalia and physiology.
Same-sex marriage is a union between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. In other words, Same-sex marriage can be said to be the marriage comprising of persons of the same gender, coming together to live as domestic partners. It is the marriage which in some nations of the world regarded as civil union, this union is between persons of the same sex.
Historical Overview
The history of same-sex or gay marriage dates back to the ancient Greco-Roman world. With the explication of the word “lesbian” which is derived from the name of an Island called ‘Lesbos’ this is due to their attitude of engaging into what is considered a profane sexual act or behaviour. This people from Lesbos are said to have engage mainly into depraved sexual activity. It is based on this that the ancient Greek verb “Lesbiazein” which means an act of lesbian i.e. a person who is from lesbos in other works “fellate” with no references to any gender, came to be.
Before, the twenty first century, homosexual act and practices where not publicized. The whole story changed in 2004 when Massachusetts, in the United States legalized Same-Sex. This made a turnaround in changing either what the constitutions. After the court ruling in Massachusetts many American states began to reverse their laws which does not give in for gay and lesbians. In relation to this the modern world of today as a whole readjusts its ideas on marriage, thereby giving it lots types of definitions as a result of sexual revolutions, modernism among others.
Furthermore, the understanding that marriage joins only spouses of opposite sex was seen to have been practiced in the breach. So as earlier stated, the legalization of same-sex marriages and it other unions. Laws which were established in line with the natural law, were amended both at the local and international level. Prohibition of same-sex marriage repealed. At this stage marriage law were now put to suit the current trend(s).
Historical Analysis
Following a study made by Johaun Jakob Bachofen, a Swiss legal historian in 1861 together with Henry Morgan in 1871, it was discovered that almost every culture, there is an ideal form of marriage. This ideal form of marriage which is major between a man and woman is determined by the society. In respect to this, every human society has an idea on how and the marriages ought and should be.
Furthermore, in Africa as a whole, the existence of same-sex marriage is said to have been denied outrightly. This is because the essence of marriage in Africa is to give birth (begetting Children). The idea of same-sex is not welcomed within the African society.
Another factor that precursored or brought same-sex marriages in some cultures was invasion i.e. conquering of nations. To this, conquering nations forced or subjected most of their subject-nations to what the regard to be incest or profane sexual activities. From this we can infare that, homosexuality in a sense is a neo-culture in most nations where it is practiced today.
In the traditional African society for instance, it is an abomination to the highest order for one to engage in to same-sex sexual practices; with regards to this, anyone caught-up in the act is either ostracized from the entire society or given a jungle justice.
What am trying to pinpoint historically here, is that in the traditional African society which existed before colonization, it is clearly understood that Same-sex intimacy and marriages is an ‘incest-taboo’. Not just that, it is not even thought of or spoken about. It is and remained absurd in the society.
Same-sex practices is unnatural because, it is against the law of nature, this is a belief which is held by both religion and cultures. Dating back to history once more, it held in the ancient Greeks, homosexuality to be an unnatural act, this came as a result of observations made on ani animals by some ancient Greek scholars, who in their endeavours to define the natural principles of the cosmos. Greeks writers drew a general conclusion that the main purpose of sex remains for reproduction and nothing more.
In the United States cultural and Legal Status, same-sex had rapidly changed through the reversals in American Social History. Effects from this we can see in the nature of social relationship in America today. The paradigm shift about sexual orientation(s) rapidly taking force today started or gained ground in around 2003. Not forgetting the its root which was the court ruling in the Massachusetts in 2002. Within the same year many American states began to overturn the laws which was considered to be antigay, which has been enforce before now. Although, one may ask, are we moving from normal to abnormal? The little sense in it is that people taught that liberty and autonomy which has given rise to ideologies such as sexual freedom and sexual freedom also is all about self-aggrandizement. The world of today, if not controlled, based on the way things are moving, we might end up into the world of social-cutoff. Social-cutoff is the societal living in which an one cuts him/herself from any communal practices thereby removing oneself from the ‘communal’ nature of their society. The bottom line of same-sex marriage is all about self-gratification of one’s sexual desire.
Conclusion
The general overview of same-sex marriage and its historical background, which is carried out in this chapter, has to be made due to its necessary needed for one to understand the idea behind dam-sex marriage. We have been able to see the line of history between the same-sex and other absurd sexual practices in the history of mankind. Flowing from the historical understanding we have seen that same-sex came as the quest for pleasure in the human society.
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