Civil unions and same-sex marriage are hot-button topics of late — conservatives bellow about its negative context in the Bible, the so-called sanctity of marriage, the negative influence on children and the ultimate breakdown of society as we know it; liberals counter that it's a civil rights issue, a matter of equality that reveals a veritable lack of separation between church and state, and part of a larger debate concerning government's role in recognizing and regulating intimate relationships. In "Same Sex Marriage: A Civil Debate," two of the country's foremost opponents on the issue take part in a civilized discussion about the controversial topic. Glenn T. Stanton, senior analyst for Marriage and Sexuality and director of Social Research and Cultural Affairs at Focus on the Family ministries, contends that same-sex marriages would erode our understanding of humanity by treating male or female roles as optional choices for a family. John Corvino, a philosophy professor at Wayne State University in Detroit and editor of Same Sex: Debating the Ethics, Science and Culture of Homosexuality, argues that acknowledging same-sex unions would have positive consequences not only for gays but for society as a whole, since society has a vested interest in promoting happy, stable and loving relationships. Hear what they have to say and make your own decision.
Tues., April 8, 7 p.m., USF Campus Activities Center, 140 Seventh Ave. S., St. Petersburg, free admission, 727-873-4830.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2008.