Nearly 500 people gathered in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union on Monday for a debate on what participants said may become this century’s most important civil rights movement — same-sex marriage.

“We’re at a turning point,” said Camilla Taylor, a staff attorney in the Midwest Regional Office of Lambda Legal, the oldest legal organization dedicated to civil rights for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, the transgendered and people with HIV or AIDS. “Thirty years from now, all of these questions will be solved.”

Mike Hartwig, executive director of Marriage Matters at the Iowa Family Policy Center, an organization that works to better marriages in Iowa, also said this is an important time in our history.

“[Same-sex marriage] is of great importance,” he said.

Barbara Mack, associate professor of journalism and communication and the debate moderator, said both sides brought up the same fundamental point about same-sex marriages being a turning point in history.

During Hartwig’s opening statement, he compared same-sex marriage to a “public health issue” and said it will lead to “perversion” and “pedophilia.”

“We’re opening a Pandora’s box,” Hartwig said. He cited numerous statistics about cancer, AIDS, suicide rates and other health issues from health reports, newspaper articles and law reports.

Hartwig said if the public really cares about homosexuals, this “experimentation” should not be allowed.

“Common sense would define marriage as with a man and woman,” he said.

Taylor, who is based out of Chicago, said she would like to see equal rights for civil unions.

Taylor said a church can put restrictions on a marriage that a civil union cannot.

She said thousands of couples have received marriage licenses in other cities, such as Portland and San Francisco.

According to The Associated Press, the Massachusetts Legislature gave a first approval Monday to a state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage but legalize civil unions.

After opening statements were given, the floor was opened for questions.

Early discussion was dominated by supporters of same-sex marriages, as the first five of six questions dealt with Hartwig’s opening statement.

“I’m totally stuck on what you said about same-sex marriages being a health issue,” Hannah Fletcher, senior in journalism and mass communication, said to Hartwig.

Fletcher said Hartwig should change his stance on homosexuals.

Hartwig said the state has an obligation to encourage good behavior and discourage bad behavior.