The North Carolina Psychological
Association (NCPA) has come out against a proposed constitutional
amendment that would bar all legal recognition of gay and lesbian
couples, including marriage, civil unions and possibly domestic
partnerships.
In its position
statement, the NCPA denies that gay unions pose a threat to the
state or its citizens and states that such amendments are an
expression of anti-gay sentiment.
“Many gay men and lesbian, like their
heterosexual counterparts, desire to form stable, long-lasting, and
committed intimate relationships and are successful in doing so,”
the statement reads.
“Empirical research demonstrates that
the psychological and social aspects of committed relationships
between same-sex partners closely resemble those of heterosexual
partnerships, and an emerging research literature suggests that
legally recognized same-sex relationships may also be similar to
heterosexual marriages in these psychological and social aspects.”
“Thus, the only reason for according
same-sex relationships a different legal status than heterosexual
relationships is ultimately the fact that the relationship is
homosexual rather than heterosexual. This differentiation based on
sexual orientation is an expression of prejudice and leads to
stigma.”
Equality North Carolina Executive
Director Stuart Campbell noted that the statement shows that the
amendment is “not only a legal issue for these couples, but also a
public health issue for us all.”