The Benefits of Same Sex Marriage

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Imagine living in a world where people shun your relationship and tell you that who you are is unnatural. Many people living in the United States experience this hate and discrimination on a daily basis just because of their sexual orientation. Most gay couples are unable to legally get married because the state they are currently living in does not recognize same-sex marriages. There is absolutely no reason these couples should not be able to be wed, because same-sex marriage does not affect heterosexual marriages, it can benefit children, and not making it legal is denying equal rights.
One of the main reasons many people are against same-sex marriage is because they believe it will threaten their own marriage (Lipp, “Top 10 Arguments against Gay Marriage”). This is simply not true. The only people that are in any way affected when one gets married are the ones actually getting married. So if someone doesn’t like gay marriage, they shouldn’t get married to a gay person. These are real, live, breathing people who have rights, pay taxes, and want their love to be recognized by the government; just like any other couple. If people are afraid of traditional marriages being threatened, then they should start protesting divorce instead of denying people the right to marry someone they love.
Believe it or not, there are ways in which same-sex marriage can actually benefit children. For instance, seeing a gay couple may teach a child that it’s completely natural to be attracted to the same-sex. Children are susceptible to the actions and reactions of those around them. They are not born hating anyone type of person, they are taught to discriminate. Studies show that young children gain most of their knowledge from the environment in whi...

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The topic of same-sex marriage becoming popular has actually strengthened “traditional” marriage, open-up young children’s’ minds, and helped us, as a nation, move closer to full equality for all. Same-sex marriage is a step forward in the equal rights movement and in no way wiping out “traditional” marriages, just changing the definition. Right now, gay marriage is only legal in 13 states and Washington D.C. and same-sex couples can apply for civil unions in 7 states (Millstone, “Where Gay Marriage Stands in all 50 States”). However, 5 states ban same-sex marriage by law and the remaining 25 states ban same-sex marriage and civil unions in their state constitution (Millstone). Although we make progress every day, we still have a long way to go until everyone has equal rights but if we keep on the path we’re going down, it shouldn’t take too long.

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