Syunik Diocese about homosexual marriages and law on gender On May 20, the bill on Equal rights and opportunities for women and men passed by the National Assembly of Armenia became a subject of intense public discussion. The main objective of the complaint was that the bill, for example, defines the concept of “gender as acquired and socially prescribed behavior of people of different sex.”
The term ‘acquired’ deserved the resistance of clergymen and various organizations, who, upon the adoption of the bill, see major challenges in national values and upbringing. In the interview with Aravot.am, Syunik Diocese Bishop Markos Hovhannisyan also expressed his concerns about the issue. He informed that serious studies have been conducted in the Public Council Sub-committee on religion regarding this issue, and the subsequent analysis will be beneficial for the development of the law. In response to our observation that people who are struggling against the adoption of the bill argued that the adoption of the bill presumes legalization of homosexual marriages, the clergyman replied as follows, “Of course, any clergyman is against homosexual marriages. Therefore, the bill should be well-considered, and correct wordings should be made, otherwise, it may give rise to misunderstandings. With current wording, the bill is very vulnerable. The problem is that gender is perceived among us as a generic feature, but in Europe it is perceived as to what gender a person is by his or her choice.”
Syunik Diocese considers the public resistance against the adoption of the law on gender appropriate. The speculations that the elite of country has already taken money from Europe to adopt the law on gender at any cost, the clergyman responded as follows, “Without reliable information, I can not believe such rumors.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
