More than fifty years ago the United Kingdom gave recognition to a reality that had existed for centuries or even millennia. It decriminalized homosexual acts by repealing legislation which made these acts illegal by providing that consenting adults are not guilty for such acts done in private. Such legislation, inherited from our colonial masters, who repealed them fifty years ago, is still on our books.
President Obama has now announced support for marriage between persons of the same sex. It was big news in the United States. The idea was not new because several states in the US, including New York, had already changed their laws to allow same sex marriage. But it is the first time a President has endorsed same sex marriage. It is likely to be a controversial campaign issue in the US elections in November because social conservatism is strong in the US. But President Obama must have felt politically safe in coming out in support of same sex marriage because, despite conservative opposition, the issue has attracted the support of a majority of Americans.