Are gays and civil unions mainstream?

Some people have got a bit upset about Don Brash's comments on Morning Report about gays not being "mainstream". Brash said gays were " clearly not " mainstream, that they were a small minority of people. Of course, gays are a minority, as are Christians, Maori, and supporters of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis party, but does that make them less "mainstream"? Mainstream meaning "representing the prevalent attitudes, values, and practices of a society or group: mainstream morality." Ask any Christian, homosexual or ALCP voter and they will say they are part of mainstream society.

Here's some of the transcript.

PRESENTER: Okay. Let's have a look at some of the other things you said over the weekend. You talked about mainstream New Zealand. What does that mean precisely?

BRASH: It means the large number of New Zealanders whom this Government has neglected for the last six years. This Government has been trying to work hard for minority groups, small parts of the community...

PRESENTER: Which minority groups, which minority groups are we talking about?

BRASH: Well we know, for example, that the Government has been funding Maori programmes more generously than non-Maori programmes...

PRESENTER: Okay. So Maori is one of the minority groups. What other minority groups?

BRASH: Well we know also that Government has been focusing on prostitution legislation, civil union legislation, all that kind of stuff, which caters for a small minority of people

PRESENTER: I just want to pick up on something else here. You talked about civil unions. Does that mean you do not regard gay people as mainstream New Zealanders?

BRASH: Well they're clearly not, they're a small minority of people, but let me be clear. I made it very clear in the debate on that issue that I thought this should be dealt with by referendum because it's a big change in the civil institutions of society. I also said that in the referendum I would vote for it because I have no problem with same sex couples committing to live together faithfully as heterosexual couples do.

PRESENTER: You simply don't regard gays as part of mainstream New Zealand?

BRASH: Well they are clearly, by definition, a small minority of New Zealanders...

Brash is correctly describes Maori and gays as minority groups, but appears to question whether they are part of the mainstream, without adequately defining what mainstream is.
Of course, the Swarmy Army got into gear, asking " Who's left in mainstream New Zealand'?

"Don Brash keeps telling us that he stands for mainstream New Zealand," Steve Maharey said. "What that means is that Don Brash stands against couples without children, working mothers, public servants, cultural industries, members of unions, new New Zealanders, Maori, single parents and New Zealanders who are homosexual.

And politicians, churchgoers, bloggers, atheists, agnostics, soccer players, All Blacks…. the list goes on.
.I actually think it is all semantics. Civil Unions were discussed this morning. However, if you argue that gays are mainstream, as well as a minority, it is not correct to say that the Civil Union Act is mainstream policy as some people are advocating here. Tony Milne, who is Tim Barnett's PA, gay, and a Labour Party candidate, argues that "homosexuality is mainstream, because homosexuality does fit in with the prevent attitudes and values of society. Every major poll showed over 50% support for the Civil Union Bill, and even higher support for homosexual law reform."

Tony is implying that Civil Unions is mainstream policy, which makes homosexuality mainstream. Even if you consider homosexuality mainstream, it does not follow that the Civil Union Act is "mainstream policy." Mainstream policy caters for the majority - like tax cuts and health charges. The Civil Union Act caters for those who wanted to have a Civil Union, particularly gay couples who cannot marry - and on that note I don’t see any media releases from the Campaign for Civil Unions gloating at the massive uptake of Civil Unions. Hardly surprising as only 56 couples, of which 10 were straight, have had a civil union. This is compared to 1700 couples who get married each month. Ninety percent of the registered civil union celebrants have had nothing to do, purely because this Act is not mainstream policy.

Gays are mainstream. The gay lifestyle (as referred to by those in the gay community) isn't, purely on the same grounds as a Christian or a Jewish lifestyle isn't mainstream as most people don’t live their lives by these practices. In other words they are not "representing the prevalent attitudes, values, and practices of our society".

But some say you can't separate a gay person from a gay lifestyle. That’s a valid point, but something for another day.