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ABSTRACT
When Sweden introduced same-sex marriage in 2009, this change in legislation was preceded by a well-organized, professional campaign of an alliance of various religious leaders. Since political support for a gender neutral marriage law was substantial and public opinion in favor, the question that is raised in this article is: what was at stake for the Christian opposition in its defiance of same-sex marriage? It is argued that through their “Protect Marriage” initiative, the marginal “free churches” confidently claimed a space for themselves in the Church of Sweden dominated religious landscape and the liberal values dominated political landscape. Paradoxically, it was precisely the overwhelmingly mocking, derogatory responses to the campaign which allowed conservative Christians to firmly position themselves in the debate.
Acknowledgements
This work is part of the research project “Contested Privates: The Oppositional Pairing of Religion and Homosexuality in Contemporary Public Discourse in the Netherlands” (Amsterdam Center for the Study of Lived Religion & Utrecht Chair of Religion and Gender). The author wishes to thank the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Rights (RFSL) for the use of its press archive.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Note on contributor
Mariecke van den Berg studied Theology (BA) and Gender Studies (RMA) at Utrecht University. After completing a PhD in Public Administration at the University of Twente in 2014, she started as a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Theology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marieckevandenberg.
Notes
1. In many countries, the opening up of marriage for same-sex couples was not done by explicitly mentioning this possibility in the law, but by making marriage legislation gender neutral. However, since in common language terms like “same-sex marriage” or “gay marriage” have become much more common, I will mostly use these terms to refer to a marriage between couples of the same sex, with a preference for same-sex marriage since it includes also lesbian couples.
2. Paternotte and Kollman, “Regulating Intimate Relationships,” 514.
3. Platero, “Love and the State.”
4. Casanova, Public Religions.
5. Woodhead, “Sex and Secularization,” 239.
6. Ibid., 230.
7. Young, Religion, Sex and Politics, 123.
8. Habermas, “Religion in the Public Sphere.”
9. The asterisk in “trans*” is used to include not just trans men and trans women, but all non-normative gender identities.
10. Dahl, “Queer in the Nordic Region,” 145.
11. Kulick, Queersverige.
12. Rydström, Odd Couples.
13. Demerath, “Rise of Cultural Religion,” 136.
14. Davie, “Europe an Exceptional Case?” 248–9.
15. Bäckström et al., “Religiös Förändring”; Jänterä-Jareborg, “Religion and Secular State.”
16. Claesson, “Svenska Kyrkan.”
17. Fagerberg, De Homosexuella och Kyrkan.
18. Rydström, Odd Couples, 134.
19. Kyrkan och Homosexualiteten. Svenska Kyrkans Utredningar no. 8, 1994.
20. Regner, Äktenskap för Par med Samma Kön, 17.
21. Kalin, Yngve. “Prästdeklarationen,” Homepage Yngve Kalin, http://kalin.nu/deklaration.htm, posted November 1, 2005.
22. Borevi, “Religiösa Friskolor,” 379–81.
23. Axner, Public Religions.
24. Djurfeldt, Försvara Äktenskapet.
25. Smith and Windes, “The Progay.”
26. Gamson and Modigliani, “Media Discourse.”
27. Ibid., 2.
28. Ibid.
29. Ibid., 3.
30. Ibid., 4.
31. Ibid., 4–5.
32. Ibid., 6.
33. Hedin, “Detta Är Årets Viktigaste Opinionsbok!”
34. Djurfeldt, “Försvara Äktenskapet,” 11.
35. Bevara äktenskapet, en man & en kvinna. Leaflet published by Svenska Evangeliska Alliansen, 2006.
36. Ibid., 2.
37. Ibid.
38. Axner, Public Religions.
39. Bevara äktenskapet, 3.
40. Martin Halldin, “Homofober i (O)Helig Alians,” Dagens ETC, October 26, 2007, 6.
41. Ulrika Waaranperä , “SL och Homofob Reklam,” Offensiv, October 25, 2007, 10.
42. Anna Larsson, “Världen Är Full av Små Onda Fromma Män,” Svenska Dagbladet, February 11, 2007, 25.
43. Lina Nordquist, “Tvetydigt Tal om Enkönade Äktenskap,” Upsala Nya Tidning, October 31, 2007, 5.
44. Maria Rydhagen, “Snälla, Hur Orkar Ni Bry Er?” Kvällsposten, October 26, 2007, 34.
45. Marie Carlsson, “Tyck Vad Du Vill Men Skräm Inte Hästerna,” Motala Tidning, November 9, 2007, 32.
46. Niklas Berggren, “Förvirrande Kampanj om Äktenskap,” Dagens nyheter, October 27, 2007, 42.
47. Jerry Adbo, cited in Eric Tagesson, “Osmakligt,” Aftonbladet, May 6, 2007, http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article11278861.ab.
48. Sören Andersson, cited in Johanna Melén, “Kändisar i Upprop mot Homovigslar i Kyrkan,” Aftonbladet, March 3, 2006, http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article10778133.ab.
49. Editorial. “Mama + Papa = Barn,” Motdrag, November 13, 2007, 7.
50. Lina Nordquist, “Barnens Bästa ett Svepskäl för Traditionella Äktenskap,” Upsala Nya Tidning, November 6, 2007, 5.
51. See note 44 above.
52. Erika Wiman, “Unken Kampanj Vill Konservera Kärnfamiljen,” Bärgslagsbladet, November 1, 2007, 12.
53. Cecilia Dalman Eek, “Giftemål Är Kärlek Mellan Två Personer,” Ny Tid, October 29, 2007, 2.
54. Marie Möller, “Bevara Kärleken!” Borås Tidning, October 31, 2007, 26.
55. Anonymous, “Kärlekslös Kampanj,” Barometern, October 30, 2007, 30.
56. See note 42 above.
57. Katrina Bivald, “Vi Kan Förbättra Budskapet – Med Humor och Tuschpenna,” Aftonbladet, October 26, 2007, 41.
58. See note 40 above.
59. Stefan Gustavsson, quoted in “Hackerattack mot Kritiserad Kampanj,” Enköpings-Posten, October 25, 2007, 27.
60. Hekma and Duyvendak, “Queer Netherlands,” 625.
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