Table of Contents
Introduction
The landmark ruling on the 2003 Ontario Court of Appeal regarding the issue of same-sex marriage in the community, several same-sex couples would seek to make their unions formal through legal marriages. It is evident that same-sex marriages are becoming common place in the current community. It is of paramount importance to have a clear understanding of the same sex couples in the attempt to eliminate any sort of stereotyping against their life choices. Below is a detailed ethnography of the same sex couples in the community.
It merits noting that the issue of same-sex marriage debate would greatly lead to questioning of the value of the same sex marriage. The marriage would receive criticism from mainly the religious groups in the community, the conservative groups and the conservative groups in from both the gay, the lesbian, the bisexual, and the transgender members of the community (Frost & Gola, 2015). Some of the issues which are a source of debate include the issue of traditional family values.
It merits pointing that the access to marriage could at some point reinforce or entrench one of the institutions which have for long led to the oppression of the women in the community (Frost & Gola, 2015). It merits noting that the equal marriage movement could equally serve to assimilate and bring to an end the peculiar identity which would allow us to the challenge the social norms in the community.
It merits noting that the fervor of the public discussion regarding same-sex marriage, there is little understanding of the impact of matrimony on the queer relationships and culture. The nature of the unions would lead to greater intensity of the debate regarding the motivations behind the marriages. It is essential to have an understanding of the perceptions, the experience and the reality of the individuals who form part of the unique sociological perceptions.
The same-sex marriage group happens to be both a social goal which happens to be relatively laden with complex meanings and the implications for the couples who are taking part in the marriages. The debate happens to affect the couples and possibly their children and their extended families. It is undeniable that the LGBTQ members of the community who opt for marriage are likely to experience little benefits which may not be clear to all members of the community (Nordqvist & Smart, 2014). However, they are likely to attain milestones in the quest for equal rights.
Marriages irrespective of the nature of the persons involved tends to provide recognition and the redistribution. Marriages in one way or the other tend to form basic instruments for associations (Farr, 2017). The aspect of marriage imposes the recognition of the spousal rights which may not be necessarily about the common notion of homosexuality. The identity of the LGBTQ may be an inherently a social one and fundamentally touch on the ability of the members of the community to enter into relationships with whom they chose regardless of the social norms.
The members of the same sex marriage hold the opinion that while much of the critique on same-sex marriage revolves around its possible negative effect on the family and its continuum, the LGBTQ argue that they are in families and the relationships require public recognition. The group perceives marriage as a way to secure their relationships for themselves and also for their children and also to have defined family units (Farr, 2017). The ability for them to gain legal recognition for their marriages offers them the feeling that they are part of a family. Sections of the group also hold the opinion that the institution of marriage like in the straight community is a key tool for acknowledging the permanence of the family bonds.
The same-sex marriage groups in the community have for long sought to attain religious recognition. It is undeniable that religion plays a vital role in the community in determining whether the community would readily accept certain practices. Research findings make it clear that certain religious groups have accepted that it could be normal for members of the community to take part in the same-sex marriage. However, the Catholic Church has been in the limelight for opposing the same-sex marriage. The opinion of the church that same sex marriage is evil could be one of the factors which explain the oppression of individuals who make public proclamations of their sexual orientations. Studies into the progress of the society make it clear that religion is slowly losing its grip in the community. Members of the community in most cases are avoiding to blindly follow religions (Tillmann, 2014). People in the community now have access to a pool of information unlike in the past where they could only rely on the church to offer them guidance. The situation is fast changing with the advent of social media where people can share their experience and thus be able to make their own independent opinions.
Marketing strategies
A study of the same sex marketing groups reveals that interesting consumer patterns. In most cases, offering recognition to the couples in the marketing strategies could be an effective way of gaining their audience (Kantsa, 2014). For instance, the use of gay people in the advertising campaigns is likely to generate the interest of the same sex couples in the company products. The use of the gay couples is also likely to gather support from the members of the community who are not necessarily gay but support the legality of the same-sex marriage.
Conclusion
The same-sex couples in the community are a special interest group. It is undeniable that they face a number of challenges in gaining acceptance and recognition from the members of the community. However, it is possible to take advantage of their situation to develop marketing strategies which would help reach the gay community and the members of the community in support of the gay marriage.
- Frost, D. M., & Gola, K. A. (2015). Meanings of Intimacy: A Comparison of Members of Heterosexual and Same‐Sex Couples. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 15(1), 382-400.
- Kantsa, V. (2014). The price of marriage: Same-sex sexualities and citizenship in Greece. Sexualities, 17(7), 818-836.
- Tillmann, L. (2014). In solidarity: Friendship, family, and activism beyond gay and straight. Routledge.
- Farr, R. H. (2017). Does parental sexual orientation matter? A longitudinal follow-up of adoptive families with school-age children. Developmental psychology, 53(2), 252.
- Nordqvist, P., & Smart, C. (2014). Troubling the family: coming out as lesbian and gay. Families, Relationships and Societies, 3(1), 97-112.