Legal and Policy Battles Over Same-Sex Relationships

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erez Aloni
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
North America ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Marriage Equality ◽  
Legal Institution ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Same Sex Parents

Since the 1980s, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) social movements worldwide have put significant energy into securing relationship rights. In the 1970s, however, the general sentiment in such movements in the Occident had been anti-marriage and anti-nuclear family. This changed in the 1980s due to three factors: the impact of HIV/AIDS, which emphasized how vulnerable same-sex families are; the rise of families headed by same-sex parents who did not have the same protections as their different-sex counterparts; and globalization, which transferred the ideas about same-sex relationships among movements and created energy and useful policy connections. During the 1990s, a wave of marriage alternatives spread around the world, sometimes extended by legislatures and other times by courts. The rise of alternatives has raised these questions: are they a temporary compromise on the path to marriage equality; are they a replacement for marriage that is free of its historical discriminatory heritage; or are they proposing an additional legal institution alongside marriage? In the 2000s and since, marriage equality became realistic and more common as two dozen countries gradually extended marriage rights to same-sex couples, initially in Europe and North America, but later also in Australasia, in the entire Americas, and even—in fewer countries—in Asia and Africa. Incrementalism is the generally accepted theory for why progress occurs in some countries and delays in others. However, scholars have criticized the theory as descriptively inaccurate and, normatively, as portraying marriage as the final frontier for LGBTQ equality—thus contributing to that community’s emphasis on marriage equality to the neglect of other possible advocacy avenues. Further, the incrementalistic account should take into consideration that the path toward recognition is not linear and is international as well as national. Supranational courts have played an important role in the progress toward recognizing same-sex relationships; at the same time, the globalization of LGBTQ relationship rights has also resulted in a strong backlash and in regression in some countries.

The Role of Gender and Gender Dynamics in Same-Sex Divorce and Dissolution

2018 ◽  
pp. 353-382
Author(s):  
Suzanne A. Kim ◽  
Edward Stein
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Relationship Dissolution ◽  
Legal Institution ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Gender Dynamics ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

This chapter identifies ways researchers, policymakers, therapists, lawyers, and couples should attend to the role of gender and gender dynamics facing same-sex couples upon divorce or relationship dissolution. When same-sex couples marry, gender roles associated with a particular vision of different-sex couples—in reference to which the legal institution of marriage developed historically—may be projected onto same-sex couples both socially and by judges adjudicating their relationship dissolutions, often in a manner conflicting with couples’ intentions and practices. Thus, couples consisting of two men and couples consisting of two women may be differentially affected. Gender and gender dynamics are likely to affect the bases for dissolution (e.g., whether one of the spouses committed adultery or whether there is a basis for annulment); the financial aspects of dissolution; and determination of child custody. The chapter suggests directions for future research regarding the impact of gender on the dissolution of same-sex relationships.

scholarly journals Growing Up in the Gay Shadow: The Impact of Heterosexual Privilege on Children with Same-Sex Parents

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-203
Author(s):  
Christopher Lamb
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Raising Children ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Political Debates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Same Sex Parents

Same-sex marriage is currently at the forefront of many political debates worldwide, and one of the main concerns for both sides of the marriage debate is the well-being of children being raised in same-sex families. This paper reviews various areas of research in order to discover whether or not children are at a disadvantage if they are raised in a same-sex family. Findings suggest that while children who grow up in same-sex families face unique challenges that would not occur in heterosexual families, the overall quality of life is comparable to that of children in heterosexual families. Negative attitudes toward same-sex couples raising children are related to the presence of heterosexual privilege in society. 

Same-Sex Parents' Adoption Journey: The Impact of Support and Discrimination

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Maners ◽  
Jonie Y. Oliver ◽  
Elin Ovrebo
Keyword(s):  
Same Sex ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Same Sex Parents

scholarly journals Update on emissions and environmental impacts from the international fleet of ships. The contribution from major ship types and ports

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 18323-18384 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. Dalsøren ◽  
M. S. Eide ◽  
Ø. Endresen ◽  
A. Mjelde ◽  
G. Gravir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Wet Deposition ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Surface Ozone ◽  
Western North America ◽  
Ship Emissions ◽  
Low Latitudes ◽  
The World ◽  
Emission Modelling ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. A reliable and up-to-date ship emission inventory is essential for atmospheric scientists quantifying the impact of shipping and for policy makers implementing regulations and incentives for emission reduction. The emission modelling in this study takes into account ship type and size dependent input data for 15 ship types and 7 size categories. Global port arrival and departure data for more than 32 000 merchant ships are used to establish operational profiles for the ship segments. The modelled total fuel consumption amounts to 217 Mt in 2004 of which 11 Mt is consumed in in-port operations. This is in agreement with international sales statistics. The modelled fuel consumption is applied to develop global emission inventories for CO2, NO2, SO2, CO, CH4, VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), N2O, BC (Black Carbon) and OC (Organic Carbon). The global emissions from ships at sea and in ports are distributed geographically, applying extended geographical data sets covering about 2 million global ship observations and global port data for 32 000 ships. In addition to inventories for the world fleet, inventories are produced separately for the three dominating ship types, using ship type specific emission modelling and traffic distributions. A global Chemical Transport Model (CTM) was used to calculate the environmental impacts of the emissions. We find that ship emissions is a dominant contributor over much of the world oceans to surface concentrations of NO2 and SO2. The contribution is also large over some coastal zones. For surface ozone the contribution is high over the oceans but clearly also of importance over western North America (contribution 15–25%) and western Europe (5–15%). The contribution to tropospheric column ozone is up to 5–6%. The overall impact of ship emissions on global methane lifetime is large due to the high NOx emissions. With regard to acidification we find that ships contribute 11% to nitrate wet deposition and 4.5% to sulphur wet deposition globally. In certain coastal regions the contributions may be in the range 15–50%. In general we find that ship emissions have a large impact on acidic deposition and surface ozone in western North America, Scandinavia, western Europe, western North Africa and Malaysia/Indonesia. For most of these regions container traffic, the largest emitter by ship type, has the largest impact. This is the case especially for the Pacific and the related container trade routes between Asia and North America. However, the contributions from bulk ships and tank vessels are also significant in the above mentioned impact regions. Though the total ship impact at low latitudes is lower, the tank vessels have a quite large contribution at low latitudes and near the Gulf of Mexico and Middle East. The bulk ships are characterized by large impact in Oceania compared to other ship types. In Scandinavia and north-western Europe, one of the major ship impact regions, the three largest ship types have rather small relative contributions. The impact in this region is probably dominated by smaller ships operating closer to the coast. For emissions in ports impacts on NO2 and SO2 seem to be of significance. For most ports the contribution to the two components is in the range 0.5–5%, for a few ports it exceeds 10%. The approach presented provides an improvement in characterizing fleet operational patterns, and thereby ship emissions and impacts. Furthermore, the study shows where emission reductions can be applied to most effectively minimize the impacts by different ship types.

Marriage Equality, Public Accommodations Laws, and Religious Exercise

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Gluck Mezey
Keyword(s):  
First Amendment ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
The State ◽  
Marriage Equality ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Marriage ◽  
Free Exercise ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Antidiscrimination Law

Opposition to same-sex marriage in the United States is frequently based on the religious belief that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman. With most of the attention focused on wedding vendors, the clash between religious liberty and marriage equality has largely manifested itself in efforts by business owners, such as photographers, florists, caterers, and bakers, to deny their services to same-sex couples celebrating their marriages. Citing state antidiscrimination laws, the couples demand the owners treat them as they do their other customers. Owners of public accommodations (privately owned business open to the public) who object to facilitating the weddings of same-sex couples do so typically by asserting their personal religious beliefs as defenses when charged with violating such laws; they argue that they would view their participation (albeit indirect) in wedding ceremonies as endorsing same-sex marriage. As the lawsuits against them began to proliferate, the business owners asked the courts to shield them from liability for violating the laws prohibiting discrimination because of sexual orientation in places of public accommodation. They cited their First Amendment right to the free exercise of their religion and their right not to be compelled to speak, that is, to express a positive message about same-sex marriage. With conflicts between same-sex couples and owners of business establishments arising in a number of states, the focus of the nation’s attention was on a New Mexico photographer, a Washington State florist, and a Colorado baker, each of whom sought an exemption from their state’s antidiscrimination law to enable them to exercise their religious tenets against marriage equality. In these cases, the state human rights commissions and the state appellate courts ruled that the antidiscrimination laws outweighed the rights of the business owners to exercise their religious beliefs against marriage equality by refusing to play a role, no matter how limited, in a same-sex marriage ceremony. In June 2018, in Masterpiece Cakeshop, LTD. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the state’s antidiscrimination law that guaranteed equal treatment for same-sex couples in places of public accommodations but reversed the Commission’s ruling against the Colorado baker. In a narrow decision, the Court held that the Commission infringed on the baker’s First Amendment right to free exercise by uttering comments that, in the Court’s view, demonstrated hostility to his sincerely held religious beliefs. The ruling affirmed that society has a strong interest in protecting gay men and lesbians from harm as they engage in the marketplace as well as in respecting sincerely held religious beliefs.

scholarly journals Update on emissions and environmental impacts from the international fleet of ships: the contribution from major ship types and ports

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2171-2194 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. Dalsøren ◽  
M. S. Eide ◽  
Ø. Endresen ◽  
A. Mjelde ◽  
G. Gravir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Wet Deposition ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Surface Ozone ◽  
Western North America ◽  
Ship Emissions ◽  
Low Latitudes ◽  
The World ◽  
Emission Modelling ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. A reliable and up-to-date ship emission inventory is essential for atmospheric scientists quantifying the impact of shipping and for policy makers implementing regulations and incentives for emission reduction. The emission modelling in this study takes into account ship type and size dependent input data for 15 ship types and 7 size categories. Global port arrival and departure data for more than 32 000 merchant ships are used to establish operational profiles for the ship segments. The modelled total fuel consumption amounts to 217 Mt in 2004 of which 11 Mt is consumed in in-port operations. This is in agreement with international sales statistics. The modelled fuel consumption is applied to develop global emission inventories for CO2, NO2, SO2, CO, CH4, VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), N2O, BC (Black Carbon) and OC (Organic Carbon). The global emissions from ships at sea and in ports are distributed geographically, applying extended geographical data sets covering about 2 million global ship observations and global port data for 32 000 ships. In addition to inventories for the world fleet, inventories are produced separately for the three dominating ship types, using ship type specific emission modelling and traffic distributions. A global Chemical Transport Model (CTM) was used to calculate the environmental impacts of the emissions. We find that ship emissions is a dominant contributor over much of the world oceans to surface concentrations of NO2 and SO2. The contribution is also large over some coastal zones. For surface ozone the contribution is high over the oceans but clearly also of importance over Western North America (contribution 15–25%) and Western Europe (5–15%). The contribution to tropospheric column ozone is up to 5–6%. The overall impact of ship emissions on global methane lifetime is large due to the high NOx emissions. With regard to acidification we find that ships contribute 11% to nitrate wet deposition and 4.5% to sulphur wet deposition globally. In certain coastal regions the contributions may be in the range 15–50%. In general we find that ship emissions have a large impact on acidic deposition and surface ozone in Western North America, Scandinavia, Western Europe, western North Africa and Malaysia/Indonesia. For most of these regions container traffic, the largest emitter by ship type, has the largest impact. This is the case especially for the Pacific and the related container trade routes between Asia and North America. However, the contributions from bulk ships and tank vessels are also significant in the above mentioned impact regions. Though the total ship impact at low latitudes is lower, the tank vessels have a quite large contribution at low latitudes and near the Gulf of Mexico and Middle East. The bulk ships are characterized by large impact in Oceania compared to other ship types. In Scandinavia and north-Western Europe, one of the major ship impact regions, the three largest ship types have rather small relative contributions. The impact in this region is probably dominated by smaller ships operating closer to the coast. For emissions in ports impacts on NO2 and SO2 seem to be of significance. For most ports the contribution to the two components is in the range 0.5–5%, for a few ports it exceeds 10%. The approach presented provides an improvement in characterizing fleet operational patterns, and thereby ship emissions and impacts. Furthermore, the study shows where emission reductions can be applied to most effectively minimize the impacts by different ship types.

Atrocity stories and triumph stories

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Policy Impact ◽  
Marriage Equality ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Gay Couples ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Lesbian And Gay ◽  
Civil Partnership ◽  
The Uk

This paper investigates conflicting narratives available to lesbian and gay couples as a result of marriage and civil partnership. Whereas marginalisation may have made stories of exclusion particularly resonant for same-sex couples, marriage and civil partnership offer scope for new stories around inclusion and equality. Drawing on empirical research with married and civil partner same-sex couples in the UK, US and Canada, the paper contrasts couples’ atrocity stories with new stories about acceptance and inclusion. The paper argues that these new stories should be seen as triumph stories that point towards a tangible impact arising from marriage equality and civil partnership. However, the presence of atrocity stories alongside these triumph stories provides evidence of a more limited policy impact. In conclusion, the paper highlights the relevance of atrocity stories in an emerging area of public policy, as well as the likelihood of triumph stories being relevant in other contexts.

scholarly journals Same-Sex Marriage and the Catholic Church in Europe. Any Chance for Understanding?

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-281
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Kużelewska ◽  
Marta Michalczuk-Wlizło
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Natural Law ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Marriage ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
The World ◽  
Catholic Religion ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Catholic Church

Abstract There is room for everyone in the Catholic Church, but there is no consent for same-sex marriage in that Church as marriage only between a baptized man and a woman is a sacrament. Same-sex marriage is inconsistent with the Holy Scripture where marriage is based on God’s natural law. This official Scripture’s interpretation results in lack of possibility to reconciliate the official teaching of the Church with the recognition of same-sex marriage. The world is moving forward and so are the opinions of Christians and their growing support for same-sex marriage. Such marriage is recognized in thirty states worldwide, including states with dominant Catholic religion. Regardless the official teaching, the Catholic Church’s position is not uniform. The paper discusses the official interpretation of the Scripture concerning homosexuals, analyses the position of the Catholic Church toward same-sex marriage and indicates differences in Christians’ attitudes with respect to same-sex couples in Western and Eastern Europe.

scholarly journals The Impact of Student Location in a Global Design Project

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keilah Bias ◽  
Daniel Larsen ◽  
Libby Osgood
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
North America ◽  
Stage Design ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
The World ◽  
Engineering Work ◽  
International Projects ◽  
International Setting ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
The Impact

Various engineering programs in North America enable students to immerse in international projects. Some students travel with NGOs and perform engineering work as part of their curriculum, and some design projects for hypothetical clients in other parts of the world. The authors designed a charcoal press for Kenyan farmers as part of their 2nd year design class. Due to the success of the design, the project was brought to Kenya, and was modified to be built to the materials and equipment that were available in the rural communities. One of the authors travelled to deliver the design, participated in building the device, as well as trained the clients to perform the process. The second author stayed in Canada.The authors present their experience on this two-stage design process, where the students were exposed in both designing from a distance and being immersed in the international setting of the project. Writing from students’ perspective, different points on how the project was effective on engraving design principles to students were shared. Students also reflected on their experience and developed recommendations on how the experience can be improved for future students who will take similar programs

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