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College Students' Acceptability of Same-Sex Marriage: An Inquiry
College Students' Acceptability of Same-Sex Marriage: An Inquiry
THE PROBLEM
Introduction
always been a sensitive topic in society, especially with the opposition of most
Qatar, UAE, parts of Nigeria, southern parts of Somalia, parts of Syria and parts of
Iraq according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex
Association (Carroll & Mendos, 2017). At one point, homosexuality was considered a
(Wetzel, 2013).
“deviant sexual behavior". (Messerli, 2009) However, evidence has shown that
homosexual relationships have already been existed for more than 600 years. (Bryner,
2007) Slowly, being gay became more acceptable, and homosexuals fought for more
commitment between two consenting adults of the same biological sex or social
2
gender. It has existed throughout all of history. According to Random History (2011),
evidence exists that same-sex marriages were tolerated in parts of Mesopotamia and
ancient Egypt. Artifacts from Egypt, for example, show that same-sex relationships
not only existed, but the discovery of a pharaonic tomb for such a couple shows their
controversy over the legalization of gay marriage has been disputed among people in
many nations. While the many people believe that the legalization of gay marriage
will have negative impact on the society, gay activists claim that it is against basic
According to the United Nation of Human rights, human rights are rights
inherent to all human beings, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin and
religious view etc. Everyone has the same right and freedom to do what they want, as
long as it does not cause harm to the society, and decision made by others should be
respected (Messerli, 2009). Gay marriage is the matter of civil and equal rights, and
the decision to get married should belong to the couple in love, and this should not be
regulated by the government (Anton, 2008). Even though many people are not
comfortable with homosexual relationship, the equality and dignity of gay couples
to have strong family values and improves the quality of living. The health benefits of
marriage have been observed around the world and studies have shown that marriage
On the other hand, the absence of father or mother in a gay household often
causes social and financial problems. (Dr. Krause, 2010) In addition, children raised
at a higher risk of becoming homosexual themselves and their behavior will be more
or less affected by the growing environment. (Robinson, 2008) On top of that, children
will have a greater chance to be discriminated and bullied by other classmates, and this
could have a negative effect on their development. (Robinson, 2008) With the rapidly
increasing single-parent family and divorce rate over the decade, the true meaning of
marriage has already been weakened. (Messerli, 2009) With accepting same-sex to
marry, it would further erode the respect for marriage. One of the main purposes of
marriage is to create the best environment for raising children. While gay couples do
not have the ability to procreate, only natural marriage can consistently provide a
stable and nurturing environment for the growth of the next generation. (Dr. Krause,
2010)
The researchers have observed that even if the topic of same-sex marriage is
openly up for debate in other countries, it is immediately shut down in the Philippines,
a country with the population mostly Christians and Muslims. Another observation is
that the voices of the youth are not easily heard in regards to the issue of gay marriage.
extent of college students’ acceptability of same-sex marriage and their stand on the
legalization of gay marriage in the Philippines. The researchers have agreed to stay in
1) What is the profile of the respondents in terms of (a) age, (b) sex, (c)
in the Philippines?
awareness on same-sex marriage and knowing the opinions of the next generation of
To the NDTC students, they would have the opportunity to express their
where the college students of NDTC stand in regards to same-sex marriage and their
stand of their college students towards the legalization of same-sex marriage in the
Philippines.
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To the readers, through this study they will be knowledgeable on where the
college students of NDTC stand in regards to same-sex marriage and its legalization.
They will also be informed on the arguments of both sides of the international political
To the future researchers, this study will be able to serve as their citation and
This study will investigate the extent of college students’ acceptability of same
sex marriage and their view about the legalization of same-sex marriage in the
Philippines. The respondents will be the randomly selected college students across
courses of Notre Dame of Tacurong College, who are enrolled during the second
Definition of Terms
For the purpose of reference, the following terms are defined operationally.
Gays are men who are attracted to fellow men and tend to enter same-sex
marriage.
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Lesbians refer to women who are attracted to fellow women and tend to enter
same-sex marriage.
Same Sex Marriage refers to the union of two people of the same sex like that
Transgender are people who change from their original gender and tend to
CHAPTER II
This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies of this study
the archipelago’s original inhabitants, crossing gender and transvestism were cultural,
exemplified by the babaylan. Also called bayoguin, bayok, agi-ngin, asog, bido,
binabae (Garcia, 2008), balian, balean, babay and balayan, the babaylan was a spiritual
While the word babaylan is said to connote a woman, there were also male
babaylans – for example the asog of the Bisayan society during the 17th century – who
not only put on women’s clothing but also pretended to be women so that the spirits
listened to their prayers. These men, however, did not only wear the customary clothes
of women as well as assumed the demeanor of women, but were also granted social
the Filipino language. As an example, an old word used to refer to effeminate men is
syoki, believed to be derived from the Hokkien (Minnan) words syo and ki to mean
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“with weak spirit”. It therefore infers that effeminate men are weak (Tan, n.d). In the
past, the term used to identify mainly crossdressing effeminate men was bakla, while
definitions used particularly for gays and lesbians “keep going back to a biological
dichotomy of a male and female… Both ‘tomboy’ and ‘bakla’ center on ‘inversion’, in
the sense of a male taking on female mannerisms, way of dressing and of a female
taking on male” (Tan, n.d.). Tan stated that, generally, “one could not be bakla, or gay,
if he was not effeminate, and one could not be tomboy, or lesbian, unless she was
masculine.” This way, a bakla was a “girl”, and as “girls”, they will not have sex with
For many years, the bakla have organized themselves usually as neighborhood
entertainment (Tan, 2001). One such community association was Sining Kayumanggi
Royal Family, established in 1968 to hold parties including beauty pageants (Tan,
2001). The presence of the bakla persisted into the 1970s, when many bakla entered
niche industries like fashion and entertainment. Also at that time, gay men called
Kakasarian formed a group that had members who were middle-class professionals.
Though it aimed to champion gay rights, this group folded after less than a year,
9
supposedly because bakla themselves did not see the need to fight for gay rights (Tan,
2001). The emergence of the discourse on the “third sex” at that time also included
It can be argued that the 1960s may be when the conceptual history of
emerged. This is said to be the “‘subcultural lingo’ of urban gay men that uses
elements from Tagalog, English, Spanish and Japanese, as well as celebrities’ names
and trademark brands” (Ricordeau, 2009). Also at that time, homosexuality related
writings that were Philippine-centric were published, including those from Victor
Gamboa and Henry Feenstra, and Lee Sechrest and Luis Flores (Garcia, 2008).
international media as well as local reinterpretations of LGBT people who spent time
overseas. The 1980s, for instance, saw gay men who were exposed to the Western
notion of “gay” starting to have relationships with other gay men, instead of with
Since many of these gay men belonged to the middle- or upper middle-class,
this marked what Tan described as the “Philippine society’s class stratification being
An important turning point for lesbian activism in the Philippines was when a
lesbian contingent, called Lesbian Collective, joined the International Women’s Day
march in March 1992 (Mohideen, 1996). This was the first demonstration attended by
criminalized in the Philippines. The age of consent is set at 18, although contact with
minors (those under 18) is considered an offense if the minor consents to the act for
adult person. While same-sex relationships are not recognized, the Supreme Court
(SC) has invalidated government regulations that infringed on the sexual relations of
consenting adults, stating that these violated the privacy rights and personal dignity of
individuals (Ocampo, 2011). This means that consenting adults cannot be prevented
gender identity. This Supreme Court decision means that LGBT people have a
There are a number of laws that mention sexual orientation (i.e. Magna Carta
of Women, Magna Carta for Public Social Workers) or address same-sex relations (i.e.
the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 that covers same-sex relations in defining sexual assault).
For example, Article 46 of the Family Code that went into effect in 1987 mentions
and drug addiction. Another law that affects the LGBT Filipinos, the Republic Act
(RA) 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act) punishes violence
in intimate relations including those where both parties are women (R-Rights &
PLHCW, 2011). The RA 9262 portrays LGBT people negatively because their sexual
detrimental”, similar to how alcoholism and drug addiction are portrayed by the law.
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There are laws that have reportedly been used by unscrupulous law enforcers
to extort from and harass LGBT people. These include the “grave scandal” prohibition
Persons Act of 2003). In Metro Manila, venues like bathhouses are frequented by men
who have sex with men (MSM). When raids happen, the MSM who are at these
venues are threatened with being charged with “grave scandal” of the said law. Many
MSM pay the extortion demanded by law enforcers and officers for fear of being
apparent even if antidiscrimination bills (ADBs) have been filed in both the Lower and
Upper Houses of Congress since the 1990s. So far, there are no intentions to pass
laws against discrimination based on race, ethnicity and religion. Politicians are
known to block these proposed laws because of their inclusion of LGBT people
sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, the SC used the terms “LGBTs”
and “homosexuals” as interchangeable even if not all LGBT people are homosexuals.
The Court also “seems to view ‘lesbians, gay, bisexuals, and transgender’ as
2011).
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Policies that promote the rights of LGBT people include the Civil Service
against LGBT people who are applying for civil service examinations and the Revised
employees based on various criteria including gender (Ocampo, 2011). However, such
The Pew Research Center conducted a survey from 2 March to 1 May 2013 in
39 countries with 37,653 respondents. This survey showed that 73 percent of the
even higher percentage (78%) of younger respondents in the 18–29 age groups (Pew
LGBT Filipinos questioned the results of this survey, however, claiming that
LGBT Filipinos are tolerated only if they fit stereotypes. For Tan (2001),
occupational niches and fulfill certain stereotypes.” Garcia (2008) added that “when
visitors to the Philippines remark that Filipinos openly tolerate and/or accept
swishing down streets and squealing on television programme with flaming impunity.
The worsening plight of LGBT Filipinos may also be seen in the number of
LGBT-related crimes in the country. In the first half of 2011 alone, the now-defunct
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2011). While noting the data, the Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
Historians of same-sex marriage take great care to place the modern debate
over the legality of gay marriage into an historical framework (Random History,2011).
Evidence exists that same-sex marriages were tolerated in parts of Mesopotamia and
ancient Egypt.
In actuality, same-sex marital practices and rituals are less known in Egypt
including male lovers of kings and polyandry. None of the recorded laws of
sex unions despite the fact that marriages are otherwise well regulated. (Eskridge,
1993)
During the 1970s and 80s, some gay activists in the US sued for the right to
marry, and a few same-sex couples even managed to obtain valid licenses and to wed.
But it was not until the 1990s that the modern movement towards marital equality
began to make headway anywhere, and only in 2000 did the Netherlands become the
that gay relationships are of equal value to straight relationship, thereby helping to
providing married couples with various rights, benefits and protections which can
strengthen relationship bonds and family units. Around the nation there are millions of
children being raised in households led by same-sex couples, many of whom are
denied the right to legally marry in their home state. The denial of equal marriage
rights unfairly disadvantages children who are raised by same-sex couples residing in
states where gay marriage is not legal or not recognized (Lipp, 2016).
This lack of support for LGBT families denies children within them the same
straight couples. The legalization of gay marriage helps to address this injustice by
supporting family stability and validating the worthiness of families led by same-sex
According to Cline (2017), families are the smallest social unit in society and
trends in the family inevitably affect trends in society as a whole - and vice-versa, of
course. Same-sex marriages will help better integrate those couples and their
relationships into society. Ensuring that gay relationships are stable and receive
Psychological Acceptability
enhances the lives of millions of LGBT people and their families and also benefits
change the law to allow same-sex marriage on the grounds of mental health and
wellbeing (Rout, 2011). According to Rout (2011), the body, which represents 20,000
psychologists across the country, yesterday urged a change in the Marriage Act, citing
evidence that marriage is beneficial for an individual's mental health and that harm is
Stacey and Biblarz (2001) cited in Wilkinson (2005) notes that where there are
apparent differences, these can be seen as favourable to lesbian and gay parenting (e.g.
children of same-sex couples exhibit greater gender role flexibility and are more
The BPS Lesbian and Gay Psychology Section’s (2003) support for the UK
child’s sexual orientation of preference’ and ‘the inclusion of a same-sex partner into
and substance abuse as a result of being the victims of discrimination and social
exclusion. By supporting the right to marry, the Supreme Court of the United States of
America has taken a big step toward reducing this vulnerability. Prejudice and
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discrimination against gay and lesbian individuals are not going to go away because of
this ruling. But this is a critical step in the right direction (Routledge, 2015).
Ethical Acceptability
actively engage in judicial processes (Messner, 2011). In a state court lawsuit claiming
wide range of religious and faith organizations supported an “interfaith ‘friend of the
synagogues, sanghas, ministers, and rabbis across California and the nation.” Messner
(2010) also stated that far from disclaiming religious support for same-sex marriage,
institution intrinsically connected to the vital public interest in the begetting and
raising of children (Messner, 2010). As Messner (2010) cited, “Across history and
most fundamental idea is that every child needs a mother and a father. Changing
Lucchesi (2015) quoted Justice Kennedy of the United States’ Supreme court,
“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love,
fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people
become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these
cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It
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would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of
marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find
its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness,
excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in
the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
According to Focus on the Family (2010), “We must "speak the truth in love"
(Ephesians 4:15). There is no place for hatred, hurtful comments, or other forms of
gay, lesbian or bisexual. Because we humans are made in the image of God, Jesus
teaches us to regard all humanity as having inherent value, worth and dignity -
including those affirming or adopting labels or behaviors which we believe the Bible
associates with sexual sin.” The priority of love for the Christian is unquestionable,
and the cause of love is advanced by telling the truth with grace and compassion.
Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." "The pursuit of happiness" can
be expressed differently by a range of people with various identities over time and the
Conceptual Framework
relationship between two women or two men. In this study, the extent of the college
society and the college students, psychosocial acceptability, the worthiness of same-
sex marriage in accordance with the college students’ view or way of thinking, and
students in conformity of one’s values and moral standards. The study will also
determine the college students’ stand on the legalization of same-sex marriage in the
Acceptability of Same-Sex
Marriage
Stand on Legalization of
Social Acceptability
Psychological Acceptability Same-Sex Marriage
Ethical Acceptability
Figure 1. The Schematic Diagram of the Conceptual Framework showing the variables
of the study.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses the methods that will be used in the collection and
Research Design
This study will use the descriptive research design. This will be used to
describe the profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, religion and ethnicity. This
The respondents of the study will be the college students of Notre Dame of
Tacurong College across courses who are enrolled during the second semester of the
The study will be conducted in the Notre Dame of Tacurong College on the 2nd
semester of the school year 2017-2018. NDTC is a Catholic school that offers primary,
secondary and college education and is located at Lapu-lapu Street, Tacurong City,
Sultan Kudarat. The City of Tacurong is at the center of Mindanao and the only city in
Sultan Kudarat.
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Sampling
The desired sample size for this research is 250 students and will be
determined through simple random sampling where the respondents will be chosen
Instrumentation
study. The items were derived from the related literature and studies. The
questionnaire will be composed of three (3) parts. Part I is about the profile of the
respondents in terms of age, sex, religion and ethnicity. Part II is on the acceptability
of twenty-four (15) items; eight (5) for the social acceptability, eight (5) for the
psychological acceptability and another eight (5) for the ethical acceptability. The
respondents will be made to respond to each item using a 4-point likert scale where 4
question on whether the students are in favor of the legalization of same-sex marriage
in the Philippines.
Data-Gathering Procedure
The researchers will ask permission from the college deans, through a letter, to
questionnaires.
Once the request has been approved, the researchers will then gather the
respondents at the specific date and time permitted by the all the Deans. The
Then, the data collected will be kept confidentially, tallied and tabulated
Statistical Treatment
This study will be using descriptive statistics. For the first and third research
problem, frequency and percentage distribution will be used for the age, sex, religion,
ethnicity and the stand of the respondents on the legalization of same sex marriage in
the Philippines.
For the second problem, the researchers will determine the extent of
Analysis of Data
In finding the profile of the respondents and their stand on the legalization of
same sex marriage in the country, only the highest and lowest result shall be
discussed.
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social-arguments-for-gay-marriage-250097.
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books/2015/jan/23/-sp-secret-history-same-sex-marriage
Eskridge, W. N. Jr., (1993) A History of Same Sex Marriage. Faculty Scholarship
Series. 1504. http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/fss_papers/1504
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Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.
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rights.
Lipp, M. (2016, February 2). 7 Ways the U.S.A. Benefits From the Legalization
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23
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/murray-lipp/gay-marriage-is-great-
for_b_3370173.html.
Lucchesi, N. (2015, June 26). Here’s the Supreme Court’s Decision to Grant ‘Equal
Dignity’ to Same-Sex Marriage. The Village Voice. Retrieved 24 October 2017
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decision-to-grant-equal-dignity-to-same-sex-marriage/
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same-sex-marriage-debate
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jefferson-supreme-court
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APPENDIX A
Religion: _______________________
Same-Sex Marriage.
A. SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY 4 3 2 1
Same-sex marriage promotes equality and non-discrimination in
1
society.
Same-sex marriage promotes social well-being among LGBT
2
people.
B. PSYCHOLOGICAL ACCEPTABILITY 4 3 2 1
YES NO
The Researchers