Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

What do you think of the introduction of marriage for all in Switzerland?

Hosted by: Samuel Jaberg

Editorial note: following numerous reader contributions to this topic over many weeks, we have now closed this debate. More topics are open for comments here. If you wish to contribute feedback on this topic or suggest other ideas for debates, please e-mail us at english@swissinfo.ch.

On Sunday the “marriage for all” initiative was accepted by Swiss citizens. Access to Medically Assisted Procreation (MAP) for lesbian couples was legalised at the same time.

Are you happy the initiative was accepted? Or do you think Switzerland is going too far in promoting same-sex rights? Does the decision impact your life, and if so, how?

We’d love to hear about your experiences.

From the article ‘Marriage for all’ wins thumping approval of Swiss voters

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

Livio Campana
Livio Campana
The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

Hello everyone everyone is free to live their lives as they see fit, a baby has the right to live in respect and with the love of its parents, father and mother, at least until nature decides otherwise...

Ciao a tutti ogniuno è libero di vivere la propria vita come meglio crede, un bimbo ha diritto di vivere nel rispetto e con l'amore dei genitori, padre e madre, almeno fin che la natura non decide diversamente...

amelsayed78@hotmail.com
amelsayed78@hotmail.com
The following contribution has been automatically translated from PT.

All people have the right to regularize their civil status regardless of gender or sexual status and this deserves respect .

Todas as pessoas tem o direito de regularizar sua situação civil independente de gênero ou condição sexual e isso merece respeito .

Giovana Fornazier
Giovana Fornazier
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

Everyone has the right to be happy in their own way.

Tous ont le droit d'être heureux a leur manière.

Andrea Pellegrini
Andrea Pellegrini
The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

I totally agree.

D’accordissimo

cascarudofeliz
cascarudofeliz
The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

I agree with you.

D'accordo con te.

Silvestre
Silvestre
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

Nothing particular to say about marriage for all, which will at least have the merit of solving, a little, the headache of inheritance, for people of the same sex, who live their end of life together...
On the other hand for assisted reproduction for same sex couples, it is only a selfish reflection of some individuals who don't care how the children will live their youth and adolescence as long as they have the power to be parents...
Personally, I consider that my daddy brought me something different than my mommy. Both were complementary.
It is also the beginning of a selection that will become less and less natural and that it will give way to a certain elitist medical business...

Rien de particulier à dire sur le mariage pour tous, qui aura au moins le mérite de régler, un peu, le casse-tête des successions, pour les personnes de même sexe, qui vivent leur fin de vie ensemble…
Par contre pour la procréation assistée pour les couples de même sexe, elle n’est que le reflet égoïste de certains individus qui se fichent bien de savoir comment les enfants vont vivre leur jeunesse et leur adolescence, pourvu qu’eux aient le pouvoir d’être parents…
Personnellement, je considère que mon papa m’a apporté quelque chose de different que ma maman. Tous 2 étaient complémentaires.
C’est aussi le début d’une sélection qui deviendra de moins en moins naturelle et qu’il va faire la part belle à un certain business médical élitiste…

Benjamin Thomas
Benjamin Thomas

Allright. Okay so tell me how many people you've bullied. Because the way you're arguing, it seems like you have ragged many children who have same sex parents. What's your problem in this, may I ask? Everyone has a right to love someone, then who are you to decide whom a man or women should love. Suppose you're marrying a women, and I just interfere in that case, that don't marry her, and messes up everything that next second, what will you do to me then? The way you're saying this, you're spreading hatred against us. You're not the one to decide the living of others. (Mejrc)

mejrc
mejrc

Do try & imagine two men with children & one day the child says,
hi, now who`s mummy ( or daddy ) today, you or you ?????
This thinking can also be applied to two women.
I`m not saying that a normal man / woman relationship is always total bliss, but at least the basis to a child has been around since time immemorial.
The other area that requires concentrated thought are the many years at school with bullies, ribald remarks, sarcasm & downright hate towards these poor defenseless kids. There is no way I would want to be in their shoes, that`s for sure !!!!!

mejrc
mejrc

Oh boy have I been waiting for this one. If two men want to live together or two women, so be it. Where children come into it is something else. ---- Poor kids of the future generation, that is the demise. For me this new look at human relationships is to say the least, absolute dynamite. We are only looking at today`s intimate pleasures rather than tomorrows monumental consequences of say two men one child or two women one child or multiples of. I`m soooo pleased I am the age I am & I won`t be around when the mess hits the fan.

danielj
danielj

Actually, thanks for asking - it's good to have this debate...

When I think back 25/30 years to my experience at uni (in the UK)
- the LGB society complained that Christians preached their morality - now LGBT freely preaches their morality to all children without excuse.
- where they objected to labels, now they label people of belief bigots (or "stupid bigots")
- where Christians were labelled Bible bashers - now they are preached the dilution/simplification of their faith to a single sentence (or two) from those who don't believe anyway.

So, do I as a person of belief want to force others to 'my' beliefs? No. Or align with 'my' morals? No.
But I do have some questions...

The point of my faith is that I seek to align my life to a revealed truth, rather than to the feelings of my body or the longings of my soul.
Why should I be called a bigot for that?

Why should our children be indoctrinated against our values towards the "anything goes sexuality" espoused by the rainbow elite?

Why should marriage - which was a Christian-Judeo tradition from before memory, be redefined by those who care not for its origin or value?

If you say you believe in love....
... lets see it in your attitude to (and understanding of) those you disagree with

Neuling_89
Neuling_89
@danielj

Toller Beitrag!

Szentistvan
Szentistvan
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

I regret the decision of the Swiss people, which enshrines the selfish desire for the right to a child, the officialization of the lie about one's origins, the deprivation of being brought up by a father and a mother, who remain the constitutive and anthropological elements of the construction of one's own identity.
The business of procreation is now wide open and access to GPA is not far off, completing the disastrous trilogy of abortion, euthanasia and eugenics, the evils of so-called developed societies.

Je regrette la décision du peuple suisse qui consacre le désir égoïste du droit à l'enfant, l'officialisation du mensonge quant à ses origines, la privation d'être élévé par un père et une mère qui restent les éléments constitutifs et anthropologiques de la construction de son identité propre.
Désormais le business de la procréation est largement ouvert et l'accès à la GPA n'est plus très loin parachevant la funeste trilogie: avortement, euthanasie, eugénisme, les maux des sociétés dites développées!

YERLY
YERLY
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

This is a very bad proposal for the future of our society. It is already not doing very well. Overpopulation, pollution, destruction of the land that sustains us, too much pressure from the service sector, with low working hours and too high wages, and a lack of manpower in modern technical fields.

C'est une très mauvaise proposition pour l'avenir de notre société. Cela ne va déjà pas très bien. Surpopulation, pollution, saccages des terres nourricières, Trop forte pression du secteur tertiaire, avec horaires faibles et salaires trop élevés; manque de main-d’œuvre dans les domaines techniques modernes.

Kwakye77
Kwakye77

Under the UN Charter, I am entitled to my own opinion. I personally don't think it is a good idea. I hope and pray that one day we will go back to the natural way of doing things. This is not natural.

texustermer
texustermer

Good to see religious fundamentalism is in decline in Switzerland. Seems like other parts of the world are regressing towards repression.

clodou
clodou
The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

I am delighted with this vote, which has been awaited for years by many people who have fought very hard. Fortunately the younger generations are more open-minded than my generation. There is no need to fear for the children of rainbow families, even the very young know how to reason with their heads and their hearts. The slander and violence will always be less. apart from those of stupid moralistic bigots.

Sono felicissimo di questo voto, aspettato per anni da molte persone che si sono battute con molta forza. Per fortuna le giovani generazioni sono più aperte della mia generazione. Non c'è da temere per i figli di famiglie arcobaleno, anche i giovanissimi sanno ragionare con la testa e con il cuore. Le calunnie e le violenze saranno sempre meno. a parte quelle di stupidi moralisti bigotti.

Danielbeccar
Danielbeccar
The following contribution has been automatically translated from ES.

Everyone resolves their situation as they see fit...

Cada uno resuelve su situación como le parezca...

Nini2121
Nini2121
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

I am against sperm donation and also against egg donation, no matter if hetero or homo couples. There are certainly couples who will do well with children and are also responsible in marriage for all. But what about the people who get married and have children but continue to have very superficial other relationships in the scene? That's very difficult and the children get it. And on sperm donation for lesbian couples, sure lesbian couples have male friends or relatives, but a father is not replaced. Sure there are plenty of single women and men and the kids had it good, but you didn't choose that or come to terms with it. Or even fathers who don't care and don't take responsibility. Operation Libero is already talking about surrogate mothers, I just have to say that is borderline and you have no respect for mothers and fathers anymore, the children have degenerated into a commodity. Many friends see it also rather conservatively, no matter whether homosexual or heterosexual. I think you just have to choose either a life with or without children. There are also books about children and teenagers in rainbow families, not only the sugar side in which everything runs fine. No matter if heterosexual or homosexual couples, if you don't want to take any responsibility or if you want to go on living like before with lots of parties, being free and having fun, then better leave it with the children, because you are just not mature enough. And maturity doesn't necessarily have anything to do with age. Now you have the right to marry, but there are also duties, namely to carry the other in difficult situations and also to support financially and the taxes will be more, as with all married...

Ich bin gegen die Samenspende und auch gegen die Ei Spende, egal ob Hetero- oder Homopaare. Es gibt sicher Paare, die es gut machen werden mit den Kinder und auch verantwortungsbewusst sind bei der Ehe für Alle. Aber was ist mit den Personen, die heiraten und Kinder haben aber weiterhin sehr oberflächliche andere Beziehungen in der Szene haben? Das ist sehr schwierig und die Kinder bekommen es mit. Und zur Samenspende für lesbische Paare, klar haben lesbische Paare männliche Freunde oder Verwandte, aber einen Vater wird nicht ersetzt. Klar es gibt viele Alleinerziehende Frauen und Männer und die Kinder hatten es gut, aber das hat man nicht gewählt oder hat sich damit arrangiert. Oder auch Väter die sich nicht kümmern und keine Verantwortung übernehmen. Die Operation Libero redet schon von Leihmutter, da muss ich einfach sagen, dass ist grenzüberschreitend und man hat kein Respekt mehr vor Mütter und Väter, die Kinder sind zu einer Ware verkommen. Viele Freunde sehen es auch eher konservativ, egal ob homosexuell oder heterosexuell. Ich finde man muss sich einfach entscheiden entweder ein Leben mit oder ohne Kinder. Es gibt auch Bücher über Kinder und Jugendliche in Regenbogenfamilien, nicht nur die Zuckerseite in denen alles prima läuft. Egal ob heterosexuelle oder homosexuelle Paare, wenn ihr keine Verantwortung übernehmen wollt oder weiterleben wollt wie bisher mit vielen Partys, Frei sein und Spass haben, dann lasst es lieber mit den Kindern, denn da seid ihr einfach nicht reif genug. Und Reife hat nicht unbedingt etwas mit Alter zu tun. Jetzt habt ihr das Recht dazu zu heiraten, aber es kommen auch Pflichten dazu, nämlich den Anderen in schwierigen Situationen durchzutragen und auch finanziell zu unterstützen und die Steuern werden mehr sein, wie bei Allen verheirateten...

nonatoamorim@hotmail.com
nonatoamorim@hotmail.com
The following contribution has been automatically translated from PT.

It took you long enough! Every form of love is worth it! Live life!

Demorou! Toda forma de amar vale a pena! Viva a vida!

Matanzero
Matanzero
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

It was high time. It actually follows inevitably from the constitution: if men and women have equal rights and no one may be discriminated against on the basis of gender or preferences, among other things - where was the problem all these years? About a third - especially of course from the SVP - still did not get it.

War höchste Zeit. Es folgt eigentlich zwangsläufig aus der Verfassung: wenn Mann und Frau gleichberechtigt sind und niemand niemand aufgrund u.A. seines Geschlechtes oder Vorlieben diskriminiert werden darf - wo war dann all die Jahre das Problem? Etwa ein drittel - vor allem natürlich von der SVP - hat es immer noch nicht kapiert.

GreeneTolstoy
GreeneTolstoy

I suppose people should be able to do as they please, but personally I am not in favour of gay marriage. Though I am sure there are many committed homosexual couples, I view the overt celebration of gay marriage as more erosive of societal foundations than beneficial. If a gay couple want to live together and benefit from this relationship that should be OK, but get on with your lives instead of waving flags.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR