Marriage is defined as “(1) the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage ("Marriage," 2003, p. 659). Despite the latter definition’s addition to dictionaries in the past decade, this definition of marriage is still debated. Being a touchy subject in both politics and religion today, it’s been very hard to come to an agreement. There are two main sides to this argument regarding the nature of marriage. Some stick to their conservative and/or religious beliefs, while others state that marriage is a civil right (Kim, 2011, p. [Page 38]). However, same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in North Carolina and thirty-two other states at this time ("Defining Marriage: State Defense," 2014). Homosexuals have been denied many of the rights given to those that are heterosexual. Same-sex couples are not able to receive other benefits as a heterosexual couple would. The lack of benefits is extremely unequal and unfair. This unacceptable treatment is unconstitutional and should not continue. Great progress has been made over the years in the LGBT community. Until a few decades ago, there were no laws protecting any citizens from hate crimes. Years before, racial hate crimes were committed in during the civil rights movement. Victims could not be helped, whatsoever. Many years later, anti-LGBT hate crimes were still being committed and were still being overlooked. Investigators were unable to assist homosexual citizens and couples as they were not covered under federal law ("Hate Crimes Law," n.d.). October 7th, 1998, 22 y... ... middle of paper ... ...ober). Marriage Inequality: Same-Sex Relationships, Religious Exemptions, and the Production of Sexual Orientation Discrimination. California Law Review, pp. 1169-1238. Newton, D. E. (2010). Same-sex Marriage : A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Publishing Group. Nussbaum, M. (2009). A Right to Marry? Same-sex Marriage and Constitutional Law. Retrieved March 25, 2014, from Dissent Magazine website: http://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/a-right-to-marry-same-sex-marriage-and-constitutional-law An Overview of Federal Rights and Protections Granted to Married Couples. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2014, from Human Rights Campaign website: https://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/an-overview-of-federal-rights-and-protections-granted-to-married-couples Survivors Benefits [Pamphlet]. (2013). Social Security Administration. http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10084.pdf
He continues to support the main claim by showing his knowledge of married couples’ legal rights. He explains that homosexual couples that are not allowed to marry are denied tax breaks, group insurance, and pension programs (Stoddard, 1988, p. 551). These are important grounds,...
Abstract On June 26, 2015 a divided Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples could now marry nationwide. At the time of the split ruling there were 9 supreme court justices, 5 of the justices were Republicans, and the remaining 4 were Democrats. In high profile cases it is except that the justices will vote along party lines. When the 5-4 ruling was reveled by the following statement. “It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right (Corn,2015).” written by
A hate crime is defined as “a crime motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice, typically one involving violence” (Oxford Dictionaries). Matthew Shepard’s death caused great disorder in Laramie, despite the fact that it was originally an unknown town. In a sense, Laramie itself has changed due to the media attention of this event. Hate was originally “not a Laramie value” (Kaufman 15), but after this hate crime, the public has great sympathy for Matthew Shepard and distrust towards Laramie’s people. Even with all the support as well as the parade for Shepard, it is quite disappointing that there weren’t any regulations or protection offered to homosexuals, bisexuals, or transgender, after this crime.
. Spaid argues that hate crime laws, sometimes referred to as “reform laws,” are ultimately ineffective, harmful, and maintain an oppressive and violent system in which it claims to resist. These laws “include crimes motivated by the gender identity and/or expression of the victim,” (79) implicated in seven states across the country, such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, created after the hate murders of these two men fueled by bigotry and hate. Proponents of these laws argue that they would work as “preventative messages,” and increase the regard in which these crimes are considered, under the terms of preserving the humanity of these victims, often trans women, while increasing their visibility. These
Hate crime legislation is needed. Crimes are on the upswing, becoming more public, more violent, and more acceptable in certain places of society. Without the proposed laws there is little chance that this shall become any less prevalent. As NGLTF, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, a well-respected agency who fights for equal rights for homosexuals, stated in their December 1997 article, the exclusion or removal of sexual orientation from hate crimes legislation by law makers is morally indefensible at a time when anti-gay violence is widespread. Failure to address this critical problem sends a dangerous message to law enforcement and the public that anti-gay violence does not exist, or worse, is somehow less reprehensible than violence against other minorities.
Wolf, Richard. “Timeline: Same-Sex marriage through the years.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 26 June 2015,
... if? The legal consequences of marriage and the legal needs of lesbian and gay male couples. Michigan Law review. Nov.1996. Pg. 447-491. http://www.jstor.org.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/stable/1290119?seq=1&uid=3739664&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21103079482127
Hate crimes have increased over the years and it cannot be left unattended. Under the hate crime laws, any hate crime resulting in violence or causing harm will be punished more severely. Taking other laws into consideration, sentences are already enhanced for certain groups. If other groups can enhance punishment by their criteria than by all means hate crime should be subjected to enhanced punishment. The three important words that separate a hate crime from crime is “motivated by hate”. If the hate crime leads to fear and vulnerability for victims. By having legislations for hate crimes, the victims or particular groups prone to being victims are protected. Some of the people are mistaken to be of a particular group that could lead to hate crime towards that person. However, this is still considered to be a hate crime because of the against a particular group and person. Not all crime expressing hate are hate crime and it is crucial to determine whether expression of hate violates the first amendment as well as the hate legislations. Many hate crime victims of hate crime tend to not report these offenses to the police because of the society's perspective toward the reason of being a victim. An example of this would be a person who is attracted to the same sex and lives in an area where being gay is viewed negatively. He becomes a victim of gender bias hate crime but does
Gay and lesbian couples deserve for their commitment to each other to be viewed with equality on a legal and social level. There are numerous rights withheld from same-sex couples when they are denied the liberty to marry. For example, same-sex couples are usually not considered next-of-kin. In medical situations this means that they are unable to visit their partner in the hospital, or have a say in life-or-death medical decisions (Wolfson). Recently, two reporters from the New York Times calculated that same-sex couples can lose as much as $500,000 over their lifetime, because they are unable to receive employers' spousal health insurance, as well as other disadvantages (Badgett, 2013). On top of the legal issues faced by homosexual couples, they also face discrimination daily. Social acceptance of gay marriage cannot be mandated, but with legalization, gay marriage will eventually become a social ...
Rauch, Jonathan. "The Government Should Sanction Gay Marriage, Not Domestic Partnerships." Homosexuality. Ed. Paul Connors. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 16 Apr. 2011.
Stoddard, T, Fein, B, (Jan. 1990) Gay Marriage, Personal relationships, Marriage, Legislation, Homosexuality, American Bar Association, (Pages 42, 42)
“A Right to Marry? Same-sex Marriage and Constitutional Law | Dissent Magazine.” Dissent Magazine. Martha Nussbaum, 8 June 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
Wheeler, S. M. "Same-sex marriage in the Americas: policy innovation for same-sex relationships." Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries 48.4 (2010): 770-771. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts. EBSCO. Web. 2 Mar. 2011.
(no author given). (2000). Fighting to Win and Keep the Freedom to Marry: The legal, Political, and Cultural Challenges Ahead. National Journal of Sexual Orientation Law Online. 234 paragraphs. Available: http://metalab.unc.edu/gaylaw/issue2/wolfson.html. [2000, May 22]
1 vols. Issues: Hate Crimes. 14 March 2014 www.hrc.org/the-hrc-story>. Joanna Almeida, Renee M. Johnson, Heather L. Corliss, Beth E. Molnar. Emotional Distress among LGBT Youth: The Influence of Perceived Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation.