Posted: Dec 10, 2014 12:17 pm
Anyway, let's put this debate into perspective. Absolutely everything we're talking about is irrelevant in the study. Here are some other countries on the Prosperity and Equality list:
10th place: Malaysia - illegal to be gay, women second class citizens in many areas of life.
11th place: Zambia - widespread discrimination of homosexuals, harassment from police (despite arguably not being illegal), massive gender divide in secondary education.
12th place: Botswana - illegal to be gay
15th place: Armenia - widespread discrimination against gay people, and no legal protection.
18th place: Kenya - illegal to be gay, widespread violence against gay people, limited educational opportunities and property rights for women, FGM widespread.
32nd place: Sudan - 88% of women subjected to FGM, illegal to be gay, just 31% of women work.
43rd place: Saudi Arabia - why even bother?
All of these countries are apparently more equal than Iceland (101st), Italy (65th), Portugal (61st), the USA (53rd) or Spain (49th).
So to be honest, I think exactly how much influence the Catholic church still has is pretty irrelevant, when countries that practice female genital mutilation and prison for homosexuality are getting in the top 20.
10th place: Malaysia - illegal to be gay, women second class citizens in many areas of life.
11th place: Zambia - widespread discrimination of homosexuals, harassment from police (despite arguably not being illegal), massive gender divide in secondary education.
12th place: Botswana - illegal to be gay
15th place: Armenia - widespread discrimination against gay people, and no legal protection.
18th place: Kenya - illegal to be gay, widespread violence against gay people, limited educational opportunities and property rights for women, FGM widespread.
32nd place: Sudan - 88% of women subjected to FGM, illegal to be gay, just 31% of women work.
43rd place: Saudi Arabia - why even bother?
All of these countries are apparently more equal than Iceland (101st), Italy (65th), Portugal (61st), the USA (53rd) or Spain (49th).
So to be honest, I think exactly how much influence the Catholic church still has is pretty irrelevant, when countries that practice female genital mutilation and prison for homosexuality are getting in the top 20.