To what extent does the legalisation of same-sex marriage change the perception of same-sex relations in general?

As of today, we as a society seem to always collectively strive for the protection and improving the general public’s perception towards minorities that lack the ability to defend themselves. One example of an attempt to shift how the public perceive a minority is the legalisation of same sex marriage. The following essay will discuss the impact of this policy on one particular group - being the part of our population who still holds negative views towards the LGBTQ+ community. Before we can touch upon how legalising same sex marriage has influenced mindsets, it is important to keep in mind when this policy was first established. The earliest record of such law was that in the Netherlands at the turn of the century. However, the first ever legally-recognised same-sex marriage was conducted in Canada in 2001. Although registration of the marriages was initially denied, a successful court challenge upheld their legality on 10 June 2003, thus retroactively making them the first legal same-sex marriages in modern times. Canada in it of itself, though, is only the third country to recognise same-sex marriage, as Belgium was officially the second. As of 2021, same-sex marriage can be legally performed in 29 different countries (either nationwide or provincial), which is still a relatively humble number. Now that we have established the general time frame, it is best that we look at how these legislations have impacted the public perception in general through statistics. First and foremost, recent surveys have shown a significantly large proportion of Millennials - the generation consists of young adults ranging from 21 to 39 year-olds - more specifically 70% are in favour of same-sex marriage. This number proves even more exceptional when put into perspective with that of older generation, for instance the Silent generation with only 31% advocating for queer couples’ weddings. Though this particular statistic seems to be undermined by the Millennials', it could still be highlighted when compared to results from the same exact survey on those born from 1928 to 1945 (the Silent generation) conducted back in 2003 - when there existed virtually no legally-recognised same-sex marriage. Said survey showed that a mere 17% were supportive of legalizing queer marriage, thus it is evident that the widespread legitimization of marriage within the same gender has had positive influence on the majority of our population. On the other hand, however, therein lies a number of arguments diminishing the extent of how much legalizing same-sex relations has swayed the public mindset. The most prevalent of which that we will tackle today is the claim that numerous factors have contributed to the shifting mindset within people’s opinions towards homosexuality. This claim is supported by surveys where supporters shared the primary reason to their change of heart is getting to know queer people on a personal level. Other causes include believing in equal rights or they have simply grown more open towards this marginalized group. Though it is certainly true that these are contributing factors to the growing support for the LGBTQ+ community in general, it is also essential to understand how legislations officially recognizing relations within this community actually enable said factors. Having a grasp of why laws tend to form social norms, and why these norms tend to form ways of thinking as well as behavioral patterns is quintessential to understanding this counterargument. Putting into context, by legitimizing queer weddings, governments have, in a sense, created a social norm within the majority of its population. Given the human nature which is to fit in with the rest, people will develop the tendency to accept homosexuality over time since it is no longer something deemed illegal. Alleviating the enforcement of the Criminal Justice system on members of the LGBTQ+ community (such as retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation) also serves to normalize sexual orientations deemed “unconventional”, ultimately leading to more open discussion about sexuality, thereby enabling shifts in public perception. In summary, by looking at statistics and analyzing the root of how newer supporters are arising, it is safe to conclude that legally recognizing marriage among those who identify as the same gender has reaped positive changes in swaying the public’s opinion of these relationships. However, further action is still necessary in improving how the majority of our population chooses to perceive and treat this marginalized group of people.