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Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-112).

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Brown, Fiona
Other Authors: Finchilescu, Gillian
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Psychology 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Brown, Fiona
author2 Finchilescu, Gillian
author_browse Brown, Fiona
Finchilescu, Gillian
author_facet Finchilescu, Gillian
Brown, Fiona
author_sort Brown, Fiona
collection Thesis
description Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-112).
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/10241
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:01.081Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Department of Psychology
publisherStr Department of Psychology
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/10241 Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage Brown, Fiona Finchilescu, Gillian Clinical Psychology Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-112). This study is an exploration of the opinions of heterosexual law students (n=44) at the University of Cape Town on the legalisation of same-sex marriage. Three distinct perspectives are identified by means of Q methodology and are compared with respondents' scores on the short form of the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale (ATLG-S). The three positions represent: a) unequivocal support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage founded on the principles of equality and human rights; b) strong religious and moral opposition to the legalisation of same-sex marriage; and c) support for the provision of domestic partnership (rather than marriage) for same-sex couples. Closer analysis reveals that each position comprises two discrete sets of responses views on the institution of marriage and responses to homosexuality - that interact in particular ways to inform respondents' opinions on same-sex marriage. In this sample, support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage is predicated on more positive attitudes toward homosexuality and openness to changing the institution of marriage. Opposition to same-sex marriage is founded on religious and conservative condemnation of homosexuaIity and fixed notions of the meaning of marriage. Advocates of domestic partnerships support the rights and well-being of homosexuals, but view marriage as a heterosexual institution that should remain closed to lesbian and gay couples. Based on the findings, it is argued that improving attitudes toward homosexuality would create more positive responses to the legal recognition of same-sex relationships but would not necessarily increase support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage. It is asserted that same-sex marriage is an important issue in the fight for lesbian and gay equality and, more significantly, one that could contribute to the mental health of lesbians and gay men. 2014-12-27T14:12:38Z 2014-12-27T14:12:38Z 2003 Master Thesis Masters MSocSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10241 eng application/pdf Department of Psychology Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Clinical Psychology
Brown, Fiona
Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage
title_full Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage
title_fullStr Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage
title_full_unstemmed Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage
title_short Something old, something new : heterosexual students' opinions on same-sex marriage
title_sort something old something new heterosexual students opinions on same sex marriage
topic Clinical Psychology
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10241
work_keys_str_mv AT brownfiona somethingoldsomethingnewheterosexualstudentsopinionsonsamesexmarriage