Same-Sex Marriages/Relationships
Introduction
Homosexuality is considered to be a sexual attraction between the members of the same gender. With the recent growth of homosexual relationships, this phenomenon is widely debated everywhere. As for this essay, it argues that that same-sex marriage should be supported as well as legalized due to the number of individual, social and moral challenges that are likely to lead to traumatic effects when disregarding the relationships of the abovementioned category of people.
Many widely-acknowledged scholars regard that historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality have shaped the way gays and lesbians perceive themselves. Homosexuality is mostly condemned in our society. However, practice shows that today homosexuality tends to be more accepted that it was initially. In terms of historical perspectives, which had an influence on homosexuality, the most considerable aspects were religion and sexual behavior. The first written recollection about homosexuality was made in ancient Egypt in 2400 BC. Later homosexuality was popular among Aztecs and Latin Americans. At times when it was acceptable for Greek and Roman cultures to be frequently involved in homosexual relationships, the Christianity condemned and treated it as a sin that can be equal to committing a crime (Barry). Greece was the most tolerant country in terms of homosexuality. The older man could choose several younger adolescents to become his sexual partners. During the fifteenth century homosexuality was considered to be a sin of Sodom. In Florence, Italy, homosexual lifestyle was a frequent occasion, which happened mostly as the result of anal intercourse. During the Middle Ages homosexuality was punished due to the ra...
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...times.com/2014/feb/08/nation/la-na-nn-same-sex-marriage-federal-20140208); furthermore, they are also in need of the legal documents, proving the legal nature of their relationships. In case males or females love each other, they have the right to create either civil or legal unions where they can fully reflect their feelings. Gays as well lesbians should be respected and supported by people of traditional sexual orientation when living in their unions together with adopted children. Obviously, it is worth saying that “…there is active debate of issues relevant to sexual orientation.” (Patterson & Weinright 2) and adoption. In accordance with a variety of survey, the same-sex marriages do not have the detrimental effect on society. Consequently, it becomes clear that because of the number of social and identity reasons, the same-sex marriages marriage makes sense.
Gay marriage further damages the connection between marriage and parenthood by causing people to not consider marriagement just to be a parent. He later on argues that marriage has been a tradition since the beginning of time and everything supports it. “The family, led by a married mother and father, is the best available structure for both child rearing and cultural health. This is why, although some people will always pair off in unorthodox ways, society as a whole must never legitimize any form of marriage other than that of one man and one woman, united with the intention of permanency and the nurturing of children” (Colson
Homosexuality existed since ancient times, for example in Ancient Greece, where it was evident through many literary and artistic works claiming that “pederasty” which means homoerotic relations between adult men and adolescent boys were very common. The adult male was called “Erastes” which means the “older lover” who was usually the role mode...
Traditionally, people involved in homosexual relationships have suffered social persecution in Australia, and there was no legal recognition of their relationship. In recent decades however, these social views have changed, and the law has adapted to reflect societies changing opinion of same-sex relationships. While there has been progress in the recognition of same-sex relationships, the ultimate goal of advocates for same-sex relationships is for them to be seen as equal to opposite-sex relationships, in all regards. The main focus point of this aim for equality is the legalisation of same-sex marriage, which is a highly controversial issue, and has proven difficult for supporters of same-sex relationships to achieve.
.... However that all changed when Christianity became the empires official religion, so in accordance with Theodosian code gay marriages in the empire were outlawed and anyone in a pre-existing gay union were to be killed. During the Ming dynasty in China males would bind themselves to other males through complex ceremonies, females would do the same. There is an old Chinese story from the early Zhou dynasty titled, “Pan Zhang & Wang Zhongxian” were two men fall in love and get married, and there union is widely accepted by their community. Many other western cultures, other than the romans, had little problem with gays. The Greeks had many people who would practice same-sex love, thought they were commonly considered temporary. In more recent years, late 1800’s-early 1900’s, is when homosexuals started coming out of the woodwork again and making themselves known.
Although history shows us that homosexuality has been present in the development of the species, the place of homosexuals in society and the perception of homosexuality changed greatly between societies and eras. Sodom and Gomorrah, ancient Greece and Rome and ...
Throughout history people who manifested an attraction for others of the same sex usually have gone through a lot of maltreatments, discrimination, and have often been regarded as “sexual deviants.” Relationships between people of the same sex have been present since the beginning of history. Their lives have not always been easy, because they have been persecuted and sometimes even forced to go through a psychiatric evaluation. At the same time, in order to gain their rights and dignity, they had to take their fight to the legal system because as George Chauncey, a professor of history at Yale University mentioned, “although most people recognize that gay life was difficult before growth of the gay movement in the 1970s, they often have only the vaguest sense of why: that gay people were scorned and ridiculed, made to feel ashamed, afraid, and alone” (290). However, discrimination and maltreatment were not the only reasons homosexuals had to take their struggle to the courts. An American professor of history at Yale University, who has testified in a number of gay rights cases, has exposed the ins and outs of the legal system in the second half of the twentieth century. During this time, a great number of states had created laws, which authorized the indefinite detention of homosexuals in mental institutions, and conditioned their release upon proving that they were cured from homosexuality (Chauncey 294). This past history, together with studies conducted by some prestigious institutions have lead society to understand that the right to homosexual marriage is economically, ethically, and morally correct, because it would benefit the economy and society by increasing the federal budget and creating a legal status for homosexual c...
The earliest western documents depicting homosexuality came from ancient Greece and Rome where same sex relationships were a societal norm and very common. These relationships did not replace marriage between a man and a woman; rather, they occurred before and alongside marriage. They were based on emotional connections or physical attractions and valued as a means of population control (The Homosexual Theme, 2005). Shortly after, beautiful odes began to be written in Persia and Arab lands to wine boys who served men in taverns and shared their beds in the evening.
In order to address this issue, one must first define the concept or meaning of marriage. However, this is a rather subjective approach, because the way we define marriage depends on our own views and interpretations.
Homosexual relationships can be traced back throughout history and in every civilization. The ancient Greeks in particular were well noted for homosexuality being an integral part of everyday life. “The secret of Greek homosexuality has only ever been a secret to those who neglected to inquire. The Greeks themselves were hardly coy about it”(Davidson, J. 2007). Famous authors such as Plato, Xenophon, Herodotus and Athenaeums all explored this subject in their writing. A modern day writer Thomas K Hubbard, has translated the most important primary texts on homosexuality in ancient Greece and Rome into modern, English and collected together a comprehensive sourcebook. Here we get a true glimpse into the past of the daily lives of the ancient Greeks and homosexuality was not only perfectly normal, it was a huge part of society.
Note: This paper has a very long Annotated Bibliography. In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms.
Society is created with both homosexual and heterosexual individuals. Previously when certain laws discriminated against others, such as law for women's rights to vote, these laws were changed. Changing the traditions of the country does not mean that it will lead to the legalization of other extreme issues. Each ...
There is an abundance of children in the U.S. lacking a home and a family, that of which a gay couple could provide. Some states have legalized joint gay adoption, while others are still on the fence about it, and would rather not pass the law. A reason why those states should pass the law is, because of the foster care system. Many children, whether it’s a boy or girl, can jump to and from at least twenty homes before they turn 18. Some would be against the gay adoption, because they feel like the child would choose their sexual orientation based off what they see their adoptive parents doing. Those people fail to realize that having gay parents wouldn’t affect the child’s sexual preference. Just like having hetrosexcual parents cannot change a child from being gay. Lastly, another reason why gay adoption should be legalized nationwide is because, many people use their judgement from religious background to vote “NO” on joint gay adoption. When the 1st amendment clearly states that there needs to be a separation between church and
... made groups of people have a very hostile attitude toward the subject matter. The traditional view of marriage is also important because it influences future generations and teaches children the meaning of the special union of a man and a woman. Many people also argue that when raising a child he or she should be raised by a father and a mother. Not both of the same sex. Although the debate of same-sex marriage may not affect some people, this is a hot topic that has changed the opinion of many people around the world. The topic of same-sex marriage is a subject that needs to be discusses by individuals who are certain of what they stand for and are capable of providing others with true and convincing arguments.
There are different gender identities such as male, female, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual that exist all around the world. There is inequality in gender identities and dominance of males regardless of which sexuality they fall under. The males are superior over the females and gays superior over the lesbians, however it is different depending on the place and circumstances. This paper will look at the gender roles and stereotypes, social policy, and homosexuality from a modern and traditional society perspective. The three different areas will be compared by the two different societies to understand how much change has occurred and whether or not anything has really changed.
The recognition of same-sex marriage is a political, social, and religious issue. Because of this same-sex marriage is a very controversial topic. Legal acknowledgement of same sex marriage is commonly referred to as marriage equality. Many advocates of marriage equality argue that laws restricting marriage to only heterosexuals discriminate against homosexuals. On the other hand advocates against same-sex marriage argue that it would undo long-standing traditions and change the meaning of marriage in a damaging manor. In this essay I will be arguing for same-sex marriage. The arguments mentioned as well as others will be discusses throughout this paper.