The Wide Chasm in Worldwide Acceptance of Homosexuality
With the addition of the United States, one out of eight persons worldwide now live in countries where same-sex marriage is legal (accounting for more than 900 million of the world's 7.1 billion population). The countries where it is legal are largely in Europe, North America and South America (two outliers are South Africa and New Zealand). This has all happened in just the past 15 years. However, resistance to homosexuals is still frighteningly widespread as 2.8 billion people live in countries where homosexuality is outlawed. These virulently homophobic nations are found throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia and comprise nearly 40% of the world's population.
So while there may be comfort in the fact that nations with anti-gay laws are thousands of miles away, and that same-sex marriage is sweeping the Western world, the fact is there are still plenty of Americans who would like laws here that outlaw the practice of homosexuality (as they salivate at the prospect of living under a theocracy). So, despite celebrations over the Supreme Court's pro-gay decision, vigilance is still advised.
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