America is said to be the land of the free, which means that every legal citizen is given freedom of speech, and the right of privacy. Among these rights, we are given freedom of religion. If someone is Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, or even Buddhist, that someone is welcome to practice their own religion however they see fit, and you are welcome in America because this is the land of the free. Or is it? When the topic of Gay Marriage arises in conversation, the main "Anti-Gay" point would be that the Bible does not agree with it. [Jones, Michael] Last time I checked, and according to the first amendment, the Bible has no standing power in American law. ["Why Would We?"] Therefore, the people of the United States should vote "Yes" on legalizing Gay Marriage. People are being harmed, people are being discriminated against, and by opposing Gay Marriage you are essentially condoning fellow humans being harmed physically, emotionally, and mentally. This form of prejudice differs little, that of fifty years ago against African Americans. Do the people of America really believe that if Gay Marriage is allowed it will change or stop a heterosexual way of life? Fred Phelps Sr. from Topeka, Kansas sure does think so, he feels so strongly on the subject that he and his large family picket funerals of veterans. Phelps Sr. was quoted as saying, "Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is [that] the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime." [Oxley, Chuck] Imagine being part of the family of veterans being "punished by God"? This prejudice effects everyone, not just Gay people. What if one person in a family was gay? What would the effects on that family be? Would the... ... middle of paper ... ...07. Web. 4 Mar. 2011. "Homosexual Behavior in Animals." Wikipedia, 2008. Wikipedia. Web. 3 Mar. 2011. Jones, Michael. "Would Jesus Discriminate Against Gays?" Religion & LGBT Rights (September 10, 2009 ): Change. Web. 4 Mar. 2011. "Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships: A Comparison." EQ ME (2009): Equality Maine. Web. 4 Mar. 2011. Oxley, Charles. "His church was bombed, and now he protests funerals of the war dead." Seattle Post-Intelligencer (6/14/2005): Web. 4 Mar. 2011 "Road Map to Victory." States (September 10, 2009 ): Freedom to Marry. Web. 4 Mar. 2011. "Why Would We?" Would Jesus Discriminate?. Metropolitan Community Churches, 2008. Web. 4 Mar. 2011. Zavala, Tricia A. Personal interview. 7 Mar. 2011
Homophobia does affect out society’s norms that then impacts women and men lives in our society. In
The United States of America, as a whole, has pushed for rights and equality for any and all people. Gay rights and racial equality have received an ample amount of support as well as opposition. Even bringing up the other side’s argument may cause a debate in almost any environment. Today, Americans are easily offended by things that don’t agree with what they believe. America is full of passionate people who always have a cause to fight for or against. Gay marriage has been opposed countless times on local, state, and national levels. “Almost two- thirds of Republicans oppose the Supreme Court’s backing of gay marriage, according to Reuters/Ipsos Poll ” (Reuters). Even though another online survey stated that “more than half of Americans support it,” they still
Homosexuality has existed since the beginning of recorded human history and yet, attitudes towards gay and lesbian individuals vary extensively. Some societies tolerate them; others openly welcome and encourage them; and most blatantly condemn them (Bates, 46). Throughout our country’s history, homosexuals have been misunderstood and discriminated against, leading many to acquire an irrational fear of gays and lesbians. Known as homophobia, this fear has prompted heterosexual individuals with a feeling a superiority and authority when using the word “homosexual” interchangeably with the words pervert, faggot, sodomite, and so on. Homophobes typically perceive homosexuality as a threat to society. Nonetheless, the Gay Rights Movement has achieved impressive progress since 1973 when the American Psychological Association (APA) eradi...
...a. Homophobic behavior can be driven by an individual’s fear, family, religion, culture, political affiliation, societal setting, and personal beliefs. All three articles made suggestions in order to prevent stereotypes and homophobia, and while many people are being educated and changing their beliefs about homosexuality, many more people may never change their beliefs and ideals. Educating people to change their minds takes generations, since many people are not so easily persuaded to think differently. People have been brainwashed to think certain ways. Even though society is beginning to accept homosexuality and homosexuals, society still has not broken the stereotypes associated. Stereotypes today are still prevalent, need to be addressed, and broken so homosexuals can have the same freedoms as heterosexuals and not live in fear of being discriminated against.
Wilcox, W. (2012). The state of our unions 2012 marriage in America : the President's marriage
As a United States citizen who was born in the new millennium, I was brought up with the idea that, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This statement was one of the main sources of fuel for the Civil Rights Movements in the mid 1950’s/60’s in the United States. Minority groups have often been mistreated in the United States culminating in movements much like that of the women’s suffrage movement, civil rights movements and now a movement toward equality for the LGBTQIA. In the last few decades a new minority group, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and allies, and their struggle to attain their right to the pursuit of happiness. This small makes up roughly 4 percent of the US population. Though many say that gay marriage will weaken the moral foundation of our country, it should be legalized, not only because banning it is unconstitutional, but also because strips people of their human rights
Savage, Charlie., and Stolberg Sheryl G. “In Shift, U.S. Says Marriage Act Blocks Gay Rights.”
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.
Legal marriage is the right of all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation. Gay marriage is certainly a hot button issue. It invokes an emotional dialogue filled with passion, rage, hate and fear. However, at the base of it all, are two people who are in a committed relationship living normal and productive lives and contributing to society in a positive manner. This issue is being debated in every state of the union, and will eventually go to the Supreme Court.
"An Overview of Federal Rights and Protections Granted to Married Couples." Human Rights Campaign. Human Rights Campaign, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.
The general outlines to Catholic religion are referenced throughout the bible; nowhere in the bible does it say that same-sex marriage is at all acceptable. Therefore, many religious minorities believe that marriage is only acceptable between a man and a woman. If America prides itself on being the home of freedom and hope, anyone who is truly in love should be married when they want to be. If all marriages were treated equally, America could live up to being the home of the free. By denying same-sex unions, America is violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution guarantees the right for same-sex couples to marry. Should gay marriages be legal? Clearly we as a nation are undecided on this issue. Thirty-six states have passed legislation banning gay marriages, yet a few states have passed laws that allows homosexual couples the right to participate in civil unions. Several other states are also debating whether or not to allow these couples to marry. Unfortunately, the dispute has left the United States' homosexual community in an awkward position. There are some people who think that gay people have no rights and should never be allowed to marry, and others believe that gay people should enjoy the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals. I think that the United States should allow same-sex couples to marry just like heterosexual couples.
This essay will show the ways that homosexuals are sometimes looked down upon in society (with older views) and the way that the world is changing. Though the world is constantly changing and new opinions are being formed, the older and more negative opinions still stand. Often times, a homosexual person is going to be made fun of or hurt because of these older views. As seen through the statistics, those who are homosexual are put down.
Legalizing gay marriage has caused many problems in the society today. The U.S. Constitution is making some people go against their religious beliefs because of this law. I personally do not think people should have to go against their religion to support something that God would not be pleased with. We have enough things going on in this horrible world and irrelevant things like this should not be added to society’s problems.
When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.