A quick word about yesterday

This is about the legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament, its effective importance is subjective (not everyone cares about marriage) however, the symbolism of it is of another measure entirely.

I'm talking about the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill.

Two men.

Obviously a fair bit of opposition and as you would expect, a lot of it was entirely misinformed. This morning on TRSFKACK (or The-Radio-Show-Formerly-Known-as-Call-Kaye) - now called Morning Call on BBC Radio Scotland, the usual selection of religious head bangers were present to vent their spleens. Its ironic the same range of emotions that fuel the love one assumes they feel for their partner or spouse has its basis in exactly the same chemistry as that which exists between a same sex couple.

I know many religious proponents (normally the ones most interested in the perpetuation of their particular dogma) don't think homosexuality is 'real' or that if it is, its something a person learned by mistake. At best, in the minds of many religious leaders and of some followers, its an aberration, an abnormality - something that requires fixing.

Two ladies

It goes with out saying, its none of those things. It is as natural to a gay person to feel love and lay down with a person of the same sex as it is for a heterosexual person to feel love and lay down with someone of the opposite sex - but that isn't the point, we could (excuse the choice of words) bang on about that for a long time with out getting any where.

Although I did fill out a consultation document on this subject, support of Same Sex Marriage was incidental, while I think its great two guys or two girls can tie the knot, it was never on my radar. But going back to the 'other measure entirely'...

Not immediately or straight away, but for the future - this will have seriously positive repercussions for all young people growing up incubating a question mark over their sexual preference. It goes with out saying (although I'll say it anyway) it shouldn't matter, no one should feel compelled to pigeon-hole or explain themselves purely to assuage the delicate sensibilities of the moral simpletons of this world.

(Typical) man and woman

Yesterday, the Scottish Parliament sent a message to future generations about normalisation, they slotted into place a huge piece of the jigsaw puzzle, not of any picture but of words - 'Relax, everything is OK.' 

Be in no doubt, coming to understand at a tender age, when you are building the foundations of the adult you will soon become, that you are different from all your friends is undermining enough. For some befrocked hypocrite to then attempt to confirm your worst fears - that there is something wrong with you - is sometimes more than a young mind can cope with.

While there is still a distance to go in sport and other more masculine pursuits (although for the avoidance doubt, that has fuck all do to with sexuality) what happened yesterday removes a huge block in the process of allowing young people to just get on with being themselves.

When you're forming as a person, you watch films - think of all those Hollywood blockbusters ending with a man & woman holding a child (or a dog) normally with a Stars & Stripes fluttering in the back ground - you read books, you look to your parents and community for social cues -  marriage is a big part of it - its how you learn. This won't affect the vast majority of kids growing up into heterosexuality, the Hollywood blockbuster will always be there - but for the minority who are growing up with that question mark? Understand that their feelings for their own sex is as natural as a straight person's are for the opposite sex.

Man and pillow.

Attempting to force a child who is gay (yes, that's how it works) into being straight is as cruel as forcing a child who is straight into being gay - and we know what society thinks of that.

Just something to think about...

Other than that? Kudos to the Scottish Government and respect to opponents of the bill - it was a brave and correct decision indeed. To all the thousands of young folk now listening to the plaintiff ramblings of the religious hardliners who feel the end is nigh? Relax, everything is OK.

LGBT Youth Scotland - for information.

A quick point of order. I know most people of religion are fine with LGBT stuff and vice versa, its not my intention to tar people with the same brush or make sweeping generalisations nor is it my intention to belittle their views. But, there are some religious leaders who really need to move into the current time span, they often have considerable sway in their communities and (sometimes) without knowing, in displaying such disdain for what is a natural (if not mainstream) way of life, their words could lead to a young  person feeling so abjectly miserable that they see no other option than to end their short life.

I don't believe any one wants that.

You can't fix what isn't broken.