ResistancetorecognizingbasicrightsforgaypeoplehasbeenweakeningoutsideofChina.Legalprotectionshavebeengrowingverysignificantly.Statutespunishinghomosexualconducthavebeendeclaredinvalid.See，forexample，Lawrencev.Texas，539U.S.558（2003）（SupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates）；Dudgeonv.UnitedKingdom，4EHRR149（1981）（EuropeanCourtofHumanRights）；NationalCoalitionforGayandLesbianEqualityv.MinisterofJustice（1998）（ConstitutionalCourtofSouthAfrica）.Statutesprohibitingdiscriminationbasedonsexualorientationhavebeenadoptedinmanyjurisdictions.Butthesechangesinboththelawandsocialattitudeshavenotcomeabouteasily.Manypeoplehavebeenraisedwithreligiousormoralattitudesthatrejecthomosexualityandviewitwithdisapprovalordistaste.Theyseeitasathreattotheirchildren，tosocialinstitutionssuchasmarriageandfamily，andtoprocreationindeed，attimestheyseeitasathreattotheirownidentity.AndsothedebategoesonoutsideofChina，particularlyaboutwhetherhomosexualrelationshipsshouldreceiverecognitionbythestatethroughlegalprovisionsallowinggaypeopletomarryoratleasttoestablishso-calledcivilunionsthatgivethemmanyofthebenefitsofmarriage.