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History of gay marriage essay
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Everyone is aware of marriage. We have heard about it, gone to one, or even been in one. The idea of marriage is something that is bestowed upon us and something that we look forward to ever since we were children, but what about those who what to get married to the same sex. How is that possible? As you know, everything changes at some point or another, this includes marriage. That is why same-sex marriage should be legalized. It has come to a point where the idea or a “normal” marriage has to change in order to fit in with a constantly changing society.
Throughout history we always hear that marriage has been between one man and one woman, whether it be from the Roman Empire, Muslims, and most talked about, the Christian religion, but if you look closely you start to see that those marriages where for different reason then what it is today. Let’s talk about marriage in the older Western civilizations. During those times, marriage was just a method in order for kings to keep power within one’s family. If these kings had no problem with keeping a royal line they would then have their sons or daughters marry in the sole purpose to form alliances and to gain land. This didn’t just occur in the royal families. Many of the lower classes would marry so they could have children to help with work and keep a family business going. This was understandable at the time; however, in the present day and age we marry because we love someone not because they have something that can help us increase on the economical ladder. Love is the reason we get married, why should that be any different if that person you love is of the same sex. As you can see the history of marriage has changed already due to a changing society (Staff 1).
Now that the h...
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...p://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=37&articleid=107§ionid=692>.
Lee, Justin. Homosexuality & Christians. n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. justins_view.php>. LifeLongAdoptin. LGBT Adoption Facts. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. .
Linville, Deanna, and Maya O'Neil. Same-Sex Parents and Their Children. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. .
Paulsen, Michael Stokes. Where in the Constituction is "Separation of Church and State"? 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. .
Staff, The Week. How Marriage has Changed Over Centuries. 1 June 2012. The Week Publications. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. .
Marriage has changed more over the last 30 years than the previous 3,500 years. As
Bill Cosby once said that, “For two people in a marriage to live together day after day is unquestionably the one miracle the Vatican has overlooked.” J.J. Lewis (1995-2009) This famous comedian could not have been more correct when recognizing that every marriage will face a multiple number of challenges and is often difficult. Couples, once married, must find a way to end any struggles in order for the marriage to be successful. Marital traditions have changed greatly over the centuries and due to this, the opinion of what an ‘ideal marriage” consists of has changed as well. When reviewing the document “On Love and Marriage” the author (a Merchant of Paris) believes that marriage should not be an equal partnership, but one that pleases the husband to avoid conflict. This can be clearly seen through an examination of: the social, and political environment of the late fourteenth century, and the merchant’s opinions on the area of obedience to a husband, and how to avoid infidelity.
There appears to be widespread agreement that family and home life have been changing dramatically over the last 40 years or so. According to Talcott Parsons, the change in family structure is due to industrialization. The concept that had emerged is a new version of the domestic ideal that encapsulates changed expectations of family relations and housing conditions. The family life in the postwar period was highly affected. The concept of companionate marriage emerged in the post war era just to build a better life and build a future in which marriage would be the foundation of better life. Equality of sexes came into being after...
DeVault, C., Cohen, T., & Strong, B. (2011). The marriage and family experience: Intimate relationships in a changing society. (11th ed., pgs. 400-426). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth cengage learning.
Flax, Bill. "The True Meaning of Separation of Church and State", July 9, Forbes, 2011 Web. 15 May 2015
Marriage was always the idea of a man and a woman, but we no longer see this in existence anymore. In the article El Nasser talks about how less than half of households are traditional husband-and-wife arrangements. We have now seen that marriage between two men or two women is now acceptable. Just this year the United States legalize same sex marriage. Which is a great thing because no longer are these couples holding back from being united by law. To me it’s something so impressive on how fast this change has occurred. Just five years ago if this topic was to be brought up, people would
Paulsen, Michael S. "Where in the Constitution is Separation of Church and State." The Public Discourse. The Witherspoon Institute, 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. .
Mahin, Michael J. The Awakening and The Yellow Wallpaper: "An Intertextual Comparison of the "Conventional" Connotations of Marriage and Propriety." Domestic Goddesses (1999). Web. 29 June 2015.
Legalizing Gay Marriage The battle over Gay marriage in the United States reached a fever pitch during the presidential election of 2004. The issue vaulted into prominence when the Democratic mayor of San Francisco flouted state law and performed marriage ceremonies for Gay couples. Conservatives claim that the issue catapulted them into power by motivating fundamentalist Christian voters to turnout in order to defeat anti-gay-marriage amendments in eleven states, including the crucial swing state Ohio. Liberals retort that fundamentalist Christian turnout in 2004 was statistically even to 2000. Regardless of the truth of that statement, what cannot be denied is the attention the issue of Gay marriage has received over the past year.
Robson, Ruthann. "The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History: Marriage." Houghton Mifflin Study Center. 19 Nov. 2005. http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/women/html/wh_022200_marriage.htm.
Marriage is a “socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who commit to one another with the expectations of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins with a ceremony known as a wedding which formally unites marriage partners. A marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other, to any children they may have, and to their relatives. In most contemporary industrialized societies, marriage is certified by the government,” (Skolnick, 2005). Marriage is also an important institution because of the impact it has on society. Marriage is the main way that reproduction of human life occurs. In some societies it is tradition for family heirlooms or things of value be passed on through marriage. Marriage also serves as a healthy way to have intimate relationships with an individual. In most places a marriage exists between two people of the opposite sex. However, the legal definition of marriage is currently being challenged by many. According to Skolnick’s article a marriage can be defined by responsibilities that a couple would share, some examples are: living together, having sexual relations, sharing money and financial responsibilities, and having a child together. The issue is that homosexual couples can do these things like heterosexual couples.
Gay and lesbian unions have been for a long time a subject that no one liked to discuss. For the last few decades, gays and lesbians have come out and expressed their sexuality preferences. Many believe that same sex marriage should not be legalized because it's against the moral. It's against the definition of marriage, which is considered as the union of a man and a woman as a husband and wife. Same sex marriage should be legalized because the way society views the union of lesbian and gays can a change. Another reason why same sex marriage should be legalized is that children that are issued from a gay or lesbian couple will be loved and raised in a family that is legally recognized under the law. Lesbians and gays also deserve to have the same rights as heterosexuals.
The sudden socioeconomic transformation of the last century has substantially affected the tradition of marriage in modern society. Therefore, several alternatives to marriage have become available and grown to be more popular than marriage for today’s couples due to its suitability to current conditions. Some of these alternative statuses to marriage are cohabitation, divorce, or simply continuing to be single and this claim is supported through the findings of a recent study. The percentage of adults who are married has notably decreased from 1960 to 2008 by twenty percent (Pew Research Center). These statistics will not improve any time soon as “the average age at which men and women first marry is now the highest ever recorded” (Pew Research Center). These statistics may seem that society has lost a valuable part of life and the significance of two partners becoming one. However, from another perspective, it is a positive change in society where one or both partners do not lose their individuality and are equal, and are more accepting of other relationship choices.
In recent years, same-sex marriage has become a more controversial topic on whether it’s right or wrong. People should not feel coerced to agree with something they believe is wrong; clearly, same-sex marriage is immoral and unnatural. Many complications come with same-sex marriages including financial pressures, social pressures, moral pressures, and health risks.
The legality of gay marriage is a hot topic for many reasons. Traditionally marriage has been known as a legal bond between a man and a woman. Times have changed since those days. More and more people are coming out of the closet everyday. There are more gay people today than there ever have been and that number is only increasing. Marriage is a way for two people to show their commitment towards each other, so it should not matter what their gender or sexual orientation is.