American Anthropological Association on gay marriage

[donsu]

http://www.aaanet.org/press/ma_stmt_marriage.htm

"The results of more than a century of anthropological research on households, kinship relationships, and families, across cultures and through time, provide no support whatsoever for the view that either civilization or viable social orders depend upon marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution. Rather, anthropological research supports the conclusion that a vast array of family types, including families built upon same-sex partnerships, can contribute to stable and humane societies.

The Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association strongly opposes a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to heterosexual couples."
-------------------------------


thank you anthropologists

[Melodybe]

1. That is the argument I am using in my proposal to Dennis Herrerra

I have my degree in anthropology and Bush told a bold faced lie when he said that no religion on Earth recognizes gay marriage.

Yay to my fellow anthropologists!

[Nobody]

4. There is at least one Christian denomination that does

A member was at my caucus Tuesday. He didn't say which denomination, but they perform ceremonies recognizing same sex couples' marriages as binding, even though the law doesn't recognize them.

[DieboldMustDie]

8. Sounds like possibly...

Metropolitan Community Church, though I'm just guessing.

[Nikia]

9. I think several do to some extent

The associate minister at the Prebyterian Church that I attended in college did although the denomination didn't officially recognize such marriages, which both ministers, who are were both married to people of the opposite sex, were trying to change.
I think that the Episcapalian Church, Society of Friends, UCC, and United Methodist Church also recognize homosexual marriage. I am not completely sure if the whole denomination does though.

[prodigal_green]

5. Sheesh, I can't remember

From 20 years ago when I minored in Anthropology, but I recall a culture where after a certain age (post-menopause I believe), women gain the status of men and can in fact marry other women--again, can't recall precicely, but I believe they were encouraged to marry widows with young children for the express purpose of raising the children.

Anybody have any idea what I'm talking about?

[Maddy McCall]

2. Southeast Indians had same sex "marriages"...

women with women and men with men.

For the president to say that hetero marriage as the sustaining institution of civilization is a cultural universal is just HOGWASH that demonstrates even more so his ignorance.

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Arguably, non-breeding couples are a good thing

now that we have exceeded the sustainable carrying capacity of the planet.

[Cleita]

6. I remember reading something years ago about a

tribe in Africa where an older woman, who had some wealth, could take a young woman as a "wife" for her to have children, which would be regarded as the older woman's children legally. The fathers were anyone the younger woman chose to bed down with.

Whether these marriages were lesbian or not they didn't say, but the arrangement certainly was a contract about property and children and it was between two people of the same sex.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.