There was a time, not all that long ago, when public attitudes to same-sex partnerships were based largely on ignorance, prejudice and misguided abidance of the law of the day. The phrase ”living in sin” didn’t apply just to de facto couples, but homosexual ones, who had the additional pressure of having to lead secret lives to avoid risk of prosecution. In these more morally enlightened times, people’s sexual preferences tend to matter no more than their skin colour, religion or football team. Antipathy has yielded to tolerance, which has, in turn, given way to general acceptance. To be gay in this country no longer means being the object of ridicule or contempt, but being one of that large, diverse group commonly known as ”us”.

Sometimes, though, ”us” does not mean ”them”. In the case of gay marriage, a subject very much on the mind of the nation this week, these two groups are simple to define. On a global scale, ”us” represents the 10 countries that have so far legislated in favour of same-sex marriage. These include Spain, Argentina, Sweden and six American states, although gay marriage has yet to be recognised in the US federally. Australia is still in the ”them” group, and regrettably destined to be there for some time.

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