The American Psychological Association (APA) have approved a resolution at their annual convention to support same sex marriage.
The vote was 157-0, and the move is seen as a huge boost for those in their fight for marriage equality.
Members approved the measure because numerous studies have supported same sex marriage as a good thing for American communities, stable lives, unity and equality.
“Now as the country has really begun to have experience with gay marriage, our position is much clearer and more straightforward,” said Clinton Anderson, director of APA’s Office on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns.
“We keep the discussion fact-based and not make it about stereotypes.”
The APA resolution states “many gay men and lesbians, like their heterosexual counterparts, desire to form stable, long-lasting and committed intimate relationships are are successful in doing so.”
Opponents of the APA claim the Association “cherry-picked” research to support same sex marriage.
“The research the APA is using to support gay marriage is based on throwing out good data because it contradicts something one dearly wants to be true, regardless of whether it is or is not true – that is cherry picking at its best. They are not using real data and they are wrong,” said psychologist Randy Stevens.
Opponents of the APA move argue that marriage is a fundament of society and redefining marriage will further weaken it at a time when divorce rates are high.
In a survey conducted by the Family Research Council, 79% of heterosexual married couples reported they valued sexual fidelity. Only about 50% of those in a gay marriage valued sexual fidelity.
A joint survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that about twice as many Americans opposed legalizing same-sex marriage (60%) as supported it (29%).
Sources
- CNN
- Christian Post
- Image: San Francisco Sentinal