A lost opportunity

[sparkindarkness]

From the European Court of Human rights has recently ruled on a case.

The case of Schalk and Kopf v Austria that challenged the ban on same sex marriage.

It hinged on 3 rights in the convention

Article 12 (Right to Marry) and Article 14 (Anti-Discrimination) combined with Article 8 (Right to Family life).

I desperately wanted this -  if they had

Comments

[teleens_journal]

Just when I think that Europe is so far ahead of us (US)...

[sparkindarkness]

I think part of the problem we have (though not as much as Canada) is we think we are, and in many ways we are (at least in western/northern Europe. Remember eastern Europe is still very very anti-gay. Many I simply will not visit because I would not feel safe)

And that can be a problem. Because it's very easy to sit back and say "hey, we're better than the US" like that's some kind of goal met.

[teleens_journal]

Humans are still stupid the world over. Sometimes that makes me happy, in that we're all not so different as we think that we are. The rest of the time, it makes me sad....

[pujaemuss]

I'm sorry.

PJW

[sparkindarkness]

Thank you.

It depresses me because this could have been so damn huge. A (theoretically) binding decision on all Europe enshrining the fact we are deserving of rights

[klgaffney]

aw, damn. we generally expect europe to be better about this sort of thing than us. =(

[sparkindarkness]

Heh I sometimes think that's one of our problems (though eastern Europe? Has an AWFUL record on gay rights) is that it's so easy to sit back and pat ourselves on the back "hey, we're better than America" yes. And the Texas GOP just called for sodomy laws to come back - being better than the US isn't an achievement nor does it mean we can sit back and stop :(

[twicet]

As you say, just one more judge. I am sorry.:(

[sparkindarkness]

One judge - and gay rights acorss europe could have changed

[bugeyedmonster]

For some reason I keep thinking Europe is a bit better on such things than the US. (Especially where I live; surrounded by bible thumpers.)

Sorry to hear that...

[sparkindarkness]

It depends on the part of Europe, very much :(