The Sydney Morning Herald recently published an opinion piece by Patrick Parkinson titled About time we all cared more about marriage, in which he argued that allowing same-sex couples to marry will diminish the institution of marriage. Our government should be doing more to promote and support marriage, he asserted, because it is “by far the most stable, safe and nurturing form of relationship in which to raise children.”
While many of Parkinson’s assertions are flawed, including denying same sex-couples the right to marry does not constitute discrimination, I do agree with his claim that marriage can be a very stable and nurturing environment in which to raise children. It is for this reason that same-sex couples should be permitted to marry.