Society is multifaceted. However, marriage remains a fundamental aspect of a community. Almost everyone was born out of a union between a mother and a father; even though there are instances, this is not the case. Marriage between individuals is considered sacred as the foundational union of all relationships. As the world continues to change, the nature of marriage also has dramatically transformed. This explains why there are marriages between individuals of the same gender. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-gender unions in the United States. After this, the issue gained recognition, leading to a massive legalization of same-sex marriages in several US states. However, despite the increasing acceptance of the trend, some individuals are against same-sex marriages due to several reasons. As a nation that has yet to embrace the issue entirely, the paper will discuss how same-sex marriage is viewed culturally in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic is a member of Latin America that has prohibited same-sex marriage since circa 2010 (González-Rostani and Morgenstern 541). The ruling was based on the constitution stipulating that the family is made from the union between a man and a woman. Therefore, suggesting that individuals of the same gender can form a family is null and void. As the LQBTQ+ members of different nations enjoy the rights they are entitled to as citizens, those in the Dominican Republic continue to face challenges. As stipulated in previous studies, “Not only are LGBTQ+ citizens being discriminated against, but they lack fundamental human rights, proper access to justice, and face violence, homophobia, transphobia, and hate crimes” (Martos 45). The statement suggests that these individuals face challenges due to their sexual identity, which affects the quality of life they lead. It is particularly shocking that the offenders walk scot-free, as they are usually unpunished by law enforcers (Martos, 46). This might be because same-sex relations are prohibited, and thus, those who offend these individuals are deemed to be correct. The LQBTQ+ members are, therefore, on their own as they are treated as lesser humans due to their sexual orientation.
The cultural view on the issue of same-sex marriage in the Dominican Republic is embedded in their societal norms and religious beliefs. Typically, the Dominican Republic society believes that the family consists of a man and a woman who come together to procreate. This is also stipulated in the constitution, which recognizes the family as only consisting of a mother and a father. When individuals begin to introduce same-sex marriage to such a society, it is challenging as they are used to the idea of a marriage consisting of a man and a woman. In addition, such marriages are met with hostility as they are against the expected societal norms. Besides, as part of Latin America that values ‘Machismo,’ Dominican Republic society does not condone behaviors that perpetuate gender non-conformity. According to (Tapu 135), the term ‘machismo’ refers to hyper-masculinity where a man attracts women through their physique, caters to the needs of their family, and instills discipline in the family. Same-sex marriage, however, goes against what machismo stipulates, which means that society will not condone the actions of LGBTQ+ members.
Religion is another cultural aspect that affects how the nation views same-sex marriage. Typically, the Dominican Republic has conservative views as they are a catholic nation whose outlook on issues such as homosexuality has been met with resistance. Statistics suggest that the country has over 50% of citizens who are members of the Catholic Church (Martos 46). The data indicates that the majority of the citizens are affiliated with the Catholic Church, which stipulates that marriage is between a man and a woman. Thus, anything contrary to that is met with opposition. As conservative individuals, where the majority are members of this religion, it is not shocking for most citizens of the Dominican Republic to treat the LQBTQ+ community with animosity. In addition, the church does not accept such individuals to adopt babies. This means that only families with a mother and father can be allowed to procreate or adopt babies as they are believed to be the union that religion recognizes.
Works Cited
González-Rostani, Valentina, and Scott Morgenstern. “Legislators’ Religiosity and Same-Sex Marriage in Latin America.” Latin American Research Review 58.3 (2023): 539-560.
Matos, Rossina. Understanding the School Experience of Recent LGBTQ+ Graduates in the Dominican Republic’s Education System. Western Michigan University, 2020.
Țapu, Mihai. “Subverting Trans nationalized Latin-American Machismo. Junot Diaz’s Short Stories.” Metacritic Journal for Comparative Studies and Theory 6.1 (2020): 132-146.
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