Can't we make then leave their hate behind?
Some quick thoughts on marriage equality.
Opponents of marriage equality keep getting upset when we call them “bigots”. Of course, as with many words, it has several possible meanings, the one in use here best being expressed as “those who negatively discriminate against others based on their involuntary membership of an arbitrary group, especially in matters unrelated to that group”.
So, when the HSE sets the maximum safe unassisted lift limit for women 5kg less than that for men, this is not bigotry as women are demonstrably less suited for lifting than men. On the other hand, banning women from manual handling for this same reason would be bigotry.
Normal human sexuality is scientifically defined as the that where sexual attraction to is limited to the post-pubescent sexual characteristics of some sub-group of humans. Thus heterosexuality is normal and natural. Has been shown to be innate and not a choice.
The best way to define rules and not have any bigotry is to define them in as broad a term as possible, without reference to irrelevant sub-categories. If you can define the rules in terms of “people” alone, there can be no bigotry. Note that actions and decisions are allowed.
Thus, those supporting marriage equality support the notion that “It should be legal for two consenting adults to marry”.
If opponents of marriage equality can come up with a similar statement that does not mention irrelevant arbitrary divides such as sexuality or gender, but forbids homosexuals from marrying, without invalidating any heterosexual union, I’d be interested to hear it.
Until they can make that argument, they’re bigots.
(And no, as we have freedom of conscience, your religion, which you get to decide on yourself, doesn’t count. If you don’t agree with your religion’s stance on homosexuality, there will be a variant of it that believes otherwise. Join that religion instead. Otherwise you’re just choosing a religion that agrees with your bigotry.)