A well written article, and one that makes me think.

I believe the real issue is that society is not yet *used to* the fact that two people of the same sex can constitute a 'couple'. If we look at the issue of race, we can still see America isn't fully used to people of all colours being equal. It obviously takes a long, long time for society to change at such a fundamental level.

What you say, therefore, is dead right. So long as this is hidden, society cannot get used to it. Sure there are openly gay people including some with very high profiles (e.g. Ellen DeGeneres, Stephen Fry) but this is still 'niche' as far as society is concerned.

The issue of religion clouds many levels of society and frequently makes people think a certain way despite it most likely being against the basic tenets of the religion they 'believe' in. After all, is not one of the central tenets of the modern Christian "Love thy neighbour"?

I can fully understand that a gay relationship can be described as "unnatural". But the thing that makes this true is science. The science of reproduction and survival of the species. Biology, if you will. Which makes it all the more hypocritical for those who "believe in God" - AND THEREFORE CREATIONISM - to say that "gay is wrong because it is unnatural".

For the record, I am a straight, married male with no religious beliefs.