THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Gay marriage will further destabilise marriage and family life in Britain, a leading sociologist has warned Parliament.
Dr Patricia Morgan told the House of Commons that same-sex marriage reinforced the idea that marriage is irrelevant to parenthood.
This was the principle factor, she said, that has caused the collapse in marriage rates between heterosexuals in countries where gay marriage had been introduced - as well as a sharp rise in cohabitation and the numbers of children born out of wedlock.
She said there was no evidence whatsoever to prove the Coalition Government’s assertions that gay marriage would bolster the institution.
She made her claims in a 22-page paper submitted at the Committee Stage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.
It contained a detailed analysis of marriage trends in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Canada and some U.S. states w[h]ere gay marriage has been legalised.
“From what we know about demographic trends, it is preposterous to argue that people suddenly somehow embrace marriage and slow or reverse its decline because homosexuals can have it,” Dr Morgan said.
“We can be certain that same sex marriage will do no such thing as encourage stable marriage whether for heterosexuals and/or homosexuals. Marriage in Scandinavia, Spain, Netherlands and elsewhere is in deep decline.”
She continued: “Same sex marriage is both an effect and a cause of the evisceration of marriage - especially the separation between this and parenthood.” » | Monday, March 04, 2013
