Same Sex Marriage Laws.

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Same-Sex Marriage Laws
State administrations, voters, and more lately the courts have made sweeping modifications to laws defining whether marriage is restricted to relations between a woman and a man or is extended to same-sex individuals. The status of same-sex marriage has been a contentious issue for a long time, even though several states recognize it. In 1993, the Supreme Court in Hawaii articulated that it could not prohibit same-sex marriages without a convincing reason. Even though gay marriages never took place in Hawaii, the decision caught national attention and sparked the passing of Defense of Marriage Act in more than forty states. The federal Defense of Marriage Act statute made certain that no state would be compelled to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. This Act denies same-sex couples privileges and benefits accorded to heterosexual couples under the law (Hatzenbuehler, McLaughlin and Keyes 452). Electorates, the judicial system, and voters have made dramatic changes to the same-sex marriage issue through policy. Same-sex couples should be legalized in every state and accorded privileges and benefits given to heterosexual couples; because of its potential economic benefits, effect on institutional ethics and health outcomes but should be treated with caution because of its potential effects on offspring.
Legalizing same-sex marriage will generate a significant amount of revenue to the local and state economy; from marriage licenses, higher income taxes from penalties, and reduction in cost for state benefit programs. O’Neil, Mallory, and Badgett estimate that more than ten thousand same-sex couples will decide to get married in the three years after legalization in Georgia. Resident same-se...

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...ese marriages will provide access to social support and strengthen heterosexual marriages; gay couples will gain the right to use to the physical and psychological health benefits linked with the social support. This recognition will also mitigate the mental and emotional disorders caused by discrimination against same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriages should be legalized because of their immense economic benefits from wedding arrangements, tourism and taxes on homosexual weddings. Recognizing same-sex marriage will also reduce the discrimination and stigmatization accorded to homosexual relationships in several states. Section 2 of the Defense of Marriage Act which allows states that prohibit gay marriages and discriminate against same-sex individuals should be removed or amended to increase the mobility of homosexual and bisexual individuals within the country.

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