Friday February 5, 2010
NYT: Rampant Polygamy in Gay ‘Marriage’ May Benefit Institution
By Kathleen Gilbert
SAN FRANCISCO, California, February 5, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In discussing a new study confirming that polygamy is a staple within gay “marriages,” a New York Times article has suggested that doing away with the concept of spousal fidelity in marriage represents an “evolution” that “might point the way for the survival of the institution.”
NYT columnist Scott James reported January 28 on a project by San Francisco State University’s Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality examining various aspects of homosexual relationships. James says the study, which is scheduled for release this month, “reveals that monogamy is not a central feature for many.”
“Some gay men and lesbians argue that, as a result, they have stronger, longer-lasting and more honest relationships,” the article continues. “And while that may sound counterintuitive, some experts say boundary-challenging gay relationships represent an evolution in marriage — one that might point the way for the survival of the institution.”
Colleen Hoff, one of the study’s researchers, remarked: “With straight people, it’s called affairs or cheating, but with gay people it does not have such negative connotations.”
Steve Weinstein, the editor-in-chief of the gay news service EDGE Boston, said that the research could be placed into “the category of ‘studies that confirm the painfully obvious.'”
James also admits that “none of this is news in the gay community, but few will speak publicly about it,” with many expressing fear that “discussing the subject could undermine the legal fight for same-sex marriage.”
Joe Quirk, author of the sex-themed bestseller “It’s Not You, It’s Biology,” argued that “the combination of freedom and mutual understanding can foster a unique level of trust.”
“If innovation in marriage is going to occur, it will be spearheaded by homosexual marriages,” said Quirk.