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Gay Weddings
Other countries are more liberal. Some countries such as The Netherlands now fully
recognise gay marriage, others such as the UK have introduced civil partnerships
or unions that convey many of the same legal rights as marriage.
History
Although the growing acceptance of same sex unions is a step forward, it comes only after a large step backwards. Many ancient societies had some form of officially recognised same-sex union - although there is debate about how closely these approximated our modern concept of marriage. Some believe they were closer to master & companion or teacher & student.
Male gay relationships were commonplace in ancient Greece. In Rome a number of emperors
reportedly wed other men although these marriages were not formally recognised by law.
But who would argue with the emperor?
Some Native American tribes also recognised a form of gay male marriage. In this instance a member of the tribe would embrace the traditionally feminine side of life. They were known as Two-Spirit men and could become the "wife" of another man.
In general the acceptance of gay marriage seems inversely related to the power of traditional organised religions such as Christianity.
