Marriage matters to GLBT people in similar ways that it matters to everyone. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans couples want to get married to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and to protect their families. Below you can read about why the choice to marry is important to GLBT couples in committed and loving relationships.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
• The failure of the law to allow GLBT marriages sends out the message that it is okay to discriminate on the grounds of
sexual orientation and gender and that GLBT partners are not capable of the level of love and commitment associated with marriage.
• Marriage creates a unique bond between partners and their families from which GLBT partners are excluded.
• Marriage provides health and well-being benefits, and security for partners and children, from which GLBT partners and
their children are excluded
• Marriage will benefit from being seen as less discriminatory and more relevant.
• Polls show about 65% of New Zealanders support marriage equality and 75% believe it is inevitable.
AREN'T CIVIL UNIONS ENOUGH?
• Civil Unions offer almost all the same rights as marriage but there are some exceptions.
• There is not the same recognition of Civil Unions in some overseas jurisdictions as there is with marriage
• The state should not sanction and legislate for an institution that is denied to some citisens because of their sexuality.
• Marriage has a historic tradition and is often more widely understood.
WHAT ABOUT RELIGION AND MARRIAGE?
• In our society marriage is governed by civil law and not by biblical values, for example we allow marriage between people of
different faiths or no faith. We also allow divorce although some churches are against it. Using the religion argument
against GLBT couples is a double-standard.
• Some Christian churches currently solemnise GLBT marriages and are discriminated against because the Government
doesn’t recognise these marriages in the same way it recognises the opposite-sex marriages performed in other churches.
• Religious celebrants are free to refuse to marry couples whose relationship they don’t agree with and this freedom will
remain when marriage equality is achieved.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?
• The law does not say married heterosexual couples must have children. This is why we allow infertile couples to marry.
Using the infertility argument against GLBT couples is a double-standard.
• As many as 25% of same-sex couples are raising children. By allowing parents in these families the right to marry we are
providing their children with the same rights, respect and recognition as other children.
• Psychologists attest that children raised by same-sex couples are just as well adjusted, psychologically, sexually, intellectually
and socially as their peers.
WILL MARRIAGE EQUALITY CHANGE OR DIMINISH MARRIAGE?
• It will remove discrimination from marriage in the same way discrimination was removed when interracial couples in the United States were
allowed to marry in the 1960's.
• The rules governing marriage have changed many times, for example, wives are no longer treated as the property of their
husbands, we now prohibit rape in marriage, and we allow divorce. But the basic definition of marriage as a lifelong
commitment between a loving couple has not changed and will not change.
• In countries which allow GLBT couples to marry, marriage still exists, no opposite-sex marriages have been harmed, and
the rates of younger heterosexual people marrying has actually increased.
• The failure of the law to allow GLBT marriages sends out the message that it is okay to discriminate on the grounds of
sexual orientation and gender and that GLBT partners are not capable of the level of love and commitment associated with marriage.
• Marriage creates a unique bond between partners and their families from which GLBT partners are excluded.
• Marriage provides health and well-being benefits, and security for partners and children, from which GLBT partners and
their children are excluded
• Marriage will benefit from being seen as less discriminatory and more relevant.
• Polls show about 65% of New Zealanders support marriage equality and 75% believe it is inevitable.
AREN'T CIVIL UNIONS ENOUGH?
• Civil Unions offer almost all the same rights as marriage but there are some exceptions.
• There is not the same recognition of Civil Unions in some overseas jurisdictions as there is with marriage
• The state should not sanction and legislate for an institution that is denied to some citisens because of their sexuality.
• Marriage has a historic tradition and is often more widely understood.
WHAT ABOUT RELIGION AND MARRIAGE?
• In our society marriage is governed by civil law and not by biblical values, for example we allow marriage between people of
different faiths or no faith. We also allow divorce although some churches are against it. Using the religion argument
against GLBT couples is a double-standard.
• Some Christian churches currently solemnise GLBT marriages and are discriminated against because the Government
doesn’t recognise these marriages in the same way it recognises the opposite-sex marriages performed in other churches.
• Religious celebrants are free to refuse to marry couples whose relationship they don’t agree with and this freedom will
remain when marriage equality is achieved.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?
• The law does not say married heterosexual couples must have children. This is why we allow infertile couples to marry.
Using the infertility argument against GLBT couples is a double-standard.
• As many as 25% of same-sex couples are raising children. By allowing parents in these families the right to marry we are
providing their children with the same rights, respect and recognition as other children.
• Psychologists attest that children raised by same-sex couples are just as well adjusted, psychologically, sexually, intellectually
and socially as their peers.
WILL MARRIAGE EQUALITY CHANGE OR DIMINISH MARRIAGE?
• It will remove discrimination from marriage in the same way discrimination was removed when interracial couples in the United States were
allowed to marry in the 1960's.
• The rules governing marriage have changed many times, for example, wives are no longer treated as the property of their
husbands, we now prohibit rape in marriage, and we allow divorce. But the basic definition of marriage as a lifelong
commitment between a loving couple has not changed and will not change.
• In countries which allow GLBT couples to marry, marriage still exists, no opposite-sex marriages have been harmed, and
the rates of younger heterosexual people marrying has actually increased.
This site is funded by supporters of Marriage Equality in New Zealand. For more information contact campaign@marriageequality.co.nz.
