The author’s main idea is focused on the legalization of same-sex marriage. The debate that usually evolves about the rights of Lesbians and gay rights. The author points out that lesbians and gays have always been assumed as people with minimal rights and that they are denied full citizenship. The rights of lesbians and gays have not always been implemented and respected by people in recent times. The government had a difficult mandate of putting into law and policies that would allow the same-sex marriage. The contentious topic about legalizing same-sex marriage has not been welcomed by all the states in America. With critics saying that, it is wrong for people in the same sex to get married. Lesbians and gays have been discriminated and the author compares the period when interracial marriages were forbidden and it was a punishable act (Mumford, 2005).
The author explains that this period that lesbians and gays are discriminated is just like fifty years ago when interracial marriages were forbidden. The author describes it to be miscegenation analogy. The author quotes the New York Times in a December 14. 2003 article by David Rosenbaum “as a political, legal and social issue, same-sex marriage seems to be now where interracial marriage was about 50 years ago” (Somervile, 2005). The same experience that interracial couples faced years ago is the same experience that same-sex couples are undergoing in recent times. Experiences of discrimination, unequal rights and even prosecution for some in countries that do not support same-sex marriages. Interracial marriages were considered a felony and were punishable once a person was found and found guilty. In some countries, Lesbians and gays are isolated, discriminated and even they can be prosecuted for that. However, campaigns have geared up to support it sex marriages and discourage the discrimination and stigmatization that people often show them (Somerville, 2015).
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The author is trying to show the correlation that exists between same-sex couples and interracial couples. This analogy has played a crucial role in as long as the rights of same-sex are concerned. The miscegenation analogy has obscured the difficult ways in which sexual orientations have been intervened in the laws of the United States. The idea about gay rights did start years ago when interracial marriages were not allowed. Sexual orientation has always been a problem with now presenting the problems that are related to same-sex marriages. It was not until recently that same-sex marriages were allowed by law (Kaplan, 2007).
It was not legal for people of the same sex to get married. In other countries around the world, the idea of same-sex marriages cannot be condoned. It is, therefore, a debate that spark years ago starting with interracial marriages. In South Africa, For example, the apartheid system had taken deep root that marriages of people with other races was seen as a felony and was able to attract punishments. The miscegenation analogy presents this idea of same-sex marriages, it highlights that people of the same sex are at the exact position that interracial marriages were some years ago (Bell, 2012).
In the article, the author focusses two decades that were followed after the major world war. This period was defined by challenges of civil rights with every minority groups fighting for inclusion and equal rights and freedom. During this period, the author examines the two significant periods in the legal history of homosexuality. He identifies how homosexuality legality coincided with crucial changes in the legal discourse of race. The author establishes the relationship between rights concerning race with the rights that are concerned with sexual orientation and same-sex marriages (Somerville, 2015).
The rights and freedom to marry have been the contentious topic around the world; with some countries preventing marriages of same-sex and other countries legalizing it. It is a critical topic to discuss because religion in most parts of the world is followed and observed. A big percentage of people in the world have some deity to follow and believe in, it makes it a complicated topic since religions do not allow and forbid same-sex marriages. It is hence contentious because the religion does not allow whereas the governments are legalizing same-sex marriages. In my opinion, the miscegenation analogy cannot be liked with the current situation about same-sex marriages. In the past interracial marriages were forbidden, the marriages involved people of opposite sex and not people of the same sex ( José , 2012) .
In countries like Russia and most countries in Africa, the concept of same-sex marriages has not been embraced by people. In the United States of America marriages of same-sex were made legal in 2003. It does not seem to be years ago, this indicates that the concept of same-sex marriages has not yet been embraced fully in the world (Geary et al., 2018).
In conclusion, it can be drawn that the rights of lesbians and gays are slowly taking up effect after the United States government legalized marriages of same sex. Countries around Europe and some in Asia are in pursuit of legalizing marriages of same sex. Activists and other organizations that support LGBT rights have come together in fighting for equal rights and non-discrimination that is usually faced by lesbians and gays. Though the United States government does not provide full protection against discrimination of people of same-sex marriages, the already existing laws are sufficient for them to work under.
References
Bell, M. (2012). Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation: Alternative Pathways in EU Equality Law. American Journal of Comparative Law , 60 (1), 127-146. doi:10.5131/ajcl.2011.0017
Geary, R. S., Tanton, C., Erens, B., Clifton, S., Prah, P., Wellings, K., … Mercer, C. H. (2018). Sexual identity, attraction and behaviour in Britain: The implications of using different dimensions of sexual orientation to estimate the size of sexual minority populations and inform public health interventions. Plos One , 13 (1), e0189607. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189607
José, F.S.A. (2012). Recovering What Was Forgotten: Sexuality and Radical Politics in the Homosexual Liberation Movement in Colombia. Revista Cs, 0, 10, 19-54.
Kaplan, M. B. (2007). Philosophy, sexuality and gender: mutual interrogations. Metaphilosophy , 25 (4), 293-303. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9973.1994.tb00489.x
Mumford, K. J. (2005). The Miscegenation Analogy Revisted: Same-Sex Marriage as a Civil Rights Story. American Quarterly , 57 (2), 523-531. doi:10.1353/aq.2005.0032
Somerville, S. B. (2015). Queer Loving . In A. Clark, & E. Williams (Eds.), The History of Sexuality: The Construction of Sexual Knowledge (Vol. 1). (Critical concepts in historical studies). New York: Routledge.
