People are born free and freedom should not be limited by what society believes is and is not acceptable. Roughly 20% of the United States population identify themselves as attracted to the same gender, according to a study from the National Bureau of Economic research (Eveleth). One-fifth of the population should not be denied the right to love who they love and marry who they want, yet only 18 states have legalized gay marriage (ProCon). Worse than that 32 states have banned people’s right to marry whom they want (ProCon). The worst crime that can be enacted on human beings is to look down on them for loving who they love and to ignore their right to the same benefits as those who love someone who is “acceptable”. That is what is being done to people all over the world everyday.
By not being given the right to be married, same-sex couples are not given equal rights as a traditional couple that is married. For instance if a person in a same-sex couples dies their partner is not allowed to take leave from work, does not get to inherit assets or personal items, and cannot even inherit a shared home (Wolfson). If one of the partners in a same-sex couple is injured and in a hospital, the other partner is not considered next of kin and sometimes is not allowed to visit their partner (Wolfson). What right does a person have to determine whom someone else is allowed to marry? To many people being able to get married, to have a wedding, is important and very meaningful. It is not only recognition of a union it is recognition of a relationship between people who really and truly love each other. At a point in time interracial marriages were not allowed. It is basic discrimination to not extend those rights to a same-sex couple and it...
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... the Population is Gay? More Than You Think." History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian. The Smithsonian, 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 19 May 2014. .
"18 States with Legal Gay Marriage and 32 States with Same-Sex Marriage Bans." ProCon, 20 May 2014. Web. 20 May 2014. .
Wolfson, Evan. "Protections Denied to Same-sex Couples and Their Kids ." Protections Denied to Same-sex Couples and Their Kids | Freedom to Marry. Freedom to Marry, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
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"Jean-Jacques Rousseau." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation Inc., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. .
Why is it wrong to let humans of the same sex marry someone they truly love? Many people in our society share different opinions on why it is right and why it is wrong. Kim Davis (a clerk in Rowan County Kentucky) decided to say no to handing out marriage licenses to same sex couples because she felt it was against her religion. She refused to give a license to a couple of the same sex and was put in jail. In this case, I am against Davis because you as a person have no right to go against law and this individual freedom. I am very religious, but I have come to see that there should never be a reason to forbid someone from the person they love just based off of their sex. The law in the U.S permits same-sex marriage and no matter how mad people get, it is now allowed. Men and women now have freedom to love their partner with comfort in society. They now have the right to be married. Gay marriage has a historical background dating back to the 1970’s. In the case of Baker v.s Nelson, two men applied for a marriage license and were rejected even though the Minnesota law did not specify gender in the law of marriage. This is another point where law did not specify gender, so why was it rejected? This tells me that people judged and did not like the idea of same-sex marriage, so they just agreed to reject it. Individual freedom to love another person and get married was taken away from these people just because
ProCon.org. "16 States with Legal Gay Marriage and 33 States with Same-Sex Marriage Bans." ProCon.org. 20 Nov. 2013. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.
"17 States with Legal Gay Marriage and 33 States with Same-Sex Marriage Bans - Gay Marriage - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.
With the economic support, the adoption rates rising, and the equality same-sex couples deserve, gay marriage deserves to be legalized throughout the nation and the world. Rejecting the right of marriage to these couples hurts them and the way they are able to live their lives. Everyone deserves marriage and life equality despite the person they love because we have equality rights based on us as an individual, not on who we decide to love.
Have you ever imagined how a person feels when he/she is told that they cannot spend the rest of their life with the person they love? One is completely in love and they want to get married because, the law does not allow them. One is denied the legal rights that come along with marriage because he/she is in love with a person of the same sex. Unfortunately, these are some of the challenges that lesbian and gay partners get in many nations. And the sad thing about this is that, most of the arguments offered to keep same sex marriages are flawed and reactionary, and based on nothing other than ignorance, fear, prejudice and bigotry. Same sex marriage is a marriage between people of the same sex. Same sex marriages are currently illegal in the US except for a few states. The illegalization of same sex marriages is wrong because, it is a prominent form of prejudice. Same sex couples are not only denied their civil rights, but also their legal and economic benefits. No state should prohibit a person to show their love to another person because of gender because; it does not uphold the fundamental principles of the constitution.
Everyone deserves the right to marry and be with who they want. One of the arguments people use against same sex marriage is that it would negatively impact heterosexual marriage. It’s hard to comprehend how same-sex couples getting married would affect heterosexual marriage. Already today in the US the divorce rate for opposite sex couples is 50 % (Kellard). There is no constitutional basis for denying same-sex couples the right to get married. In fact the 14th amendment to the constitution supports that same sex couples should be allowed to marry (Kellard).
America is a country known for its freedom, yet people are told who they can and cannot marry. According to Kim Richards a case in Hawaii in 1993 where judges said the state’s constitution required a good reason not to give gay’s equal marriage rights. Congress was pushed to pass the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevented homosexuals who were allowed to marry from receiving the usual benefits of marriage, like taxes and retirement. In response states have made their stand on domestic partnerships and civil unions. DOMA was passed out of fear that a lawsuit filed in Hawaii would make them allow same sex marriage. The congress did not want to allow same sex couples the same benefits heterosexual couples receive while legally married (4-6). Opponents of DOMA claims it violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment and the Full Faith and Credit Clause. By 2002, thirty-six states banned same-sex marriage or recognizing of same-sex marriage formed in other states (Richards 4-6). Benjamin Wittes says the uproar began in 1991 when Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, and liberals became upset claiming it was a contradiction to our free country (46-48). Dayton says Massachusetts was the first state to sign the bill to allow marriage equality in their state. While republican opponents win the legislative fight with twenty-one states denying marriage equality while just ten have granted the rights to homosexual couples. Polls have shown the majority of America, even including one of our most liberal states, California, remains against gay marriage. After the bill passing in Massachusetts in 2003, thirteen states passed anti-gay-marriage initiatives. Gay right activists are in hopes that states will not follow (...
...ernment” (Wolfson). For one thing, government often only nurtures this relationship if it is between itself, a man and a woman. On the other hand, when it comes to two people in the same gender, government tends to reject this relationship. As a result, homosexual couples’ rights and protections, which are supposed to be provided by federal law, are as well taken away from them. Moreover, some religions also go against same-sex marriage since they think it is “unnatural.” Being repeatedly mistreated lead increasing in health defects among homosexual individuals. Some people might argue same-sex marriage is protected by Civil Union. However, they forget to realize that Civil Union does not provide as much rights and protections as marriage do. In conclusion, same-sex couples deserve to be treated equally and that their relationships should be respected by everyone.
To begin with, gay marriage has been a controversial issue in today 's society. It seems to me that the government finds it difficult to accept same - sex couples into marriage. By the government prohibiting same - sex couples from getting married, they are denying them freedom that every other American has. "Marriage is a unique legal status conferred by and recognized by governments all over the world. It brings with it a host of reciprocal obligations, rights and protections" (National Organization of Women, 2012, p, 1). Currently in Oklahoma City it is illegal for same - sex couples to get married which is unconstitutional due to discrimination. Me being bisexual who has a part in being homosexual, I feel like banning gay marriage is absolutely wrong and against human rights. One thing I don 't understand is why people have the right to choose who marries who? Everyone should worry about themselves then the world would be a better place. No matter how you put it love is love rather it 's a straight, gay, or lesbian couple. It 's genuinely all about the love between one another. Gays have the right just as any straight person, that 's how I look at it .I 'm pretty sure gay couples does not harm this society in any way or form. Gay marriage should certainly be legalized due to our civil rights and plus the constitution gives us liberties and one of the liberties pertain the pursuit of happiness. However, there 's plenty of reasons on why opponents of gays think gay marriage is wrong and these reasons add up to one controversial topic; the bible itself. "So God created man in His own appearance ; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."—Genesis 1:27 (N K...
Just because society rejects the practice of homosexuality, doesn’t mean they have the right to discriminate against people that identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, or any other means. People that are opposed to same-sex marriage think it would undermine traditional marriage, that it could open to what isn’t “natural” or “by God’s means” (Same-sex marriage) it will allow incest, bestiality, and other immoral things to be “acceptable”. However, that is going too far. People that identify as homosexual are not doing any of that. They are human beings too; they just do not like the opposite sex as a partner or being attractive. In most cases depending on what they call themselves they might not find them attractive. They should have all their rights like everyone else. They should be allowed to get married because the right to marry is protected under the Equal Protection Clause, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Due Process. There should be equality for everyone; all through history homosexuals have been discriminated. Just like racial discrimination throughout history, all because of their skin. For
"Same-sex couples test North Carolina gay marriage ban." USA Today. Gannett, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. .
My purpose for selecting this topic is because at one point in time homosexuals didn't have the right nor freedom to get married legally. They fought and fought before a law was passed in New Jersey around 2013, stating that same sex now has the right to legally get married. Another reason why I chose this topic is because homosexuals aren't free to do things that married couples can do. According to the article written by Rachel Sauer, Debbra and Meg, a couple that considers themselves to be married are "denied all of marriages legal advantages, including joint poverty ownership and next-to-kin rights for hospital visits" (1). This must be difficult to deal with, knowing all you want to do is have the same rights as heterosexual marriage couples do, but you can't because the law does not allow it. Why can't same sex couples hav...
Civil rights have nothing to do with the issue of same-sex marriage. Marriage is not a civil right and it is considered an institution. The government can define an institution and legally limit its membership. If marriage was a civil right, the government would not be able have control over it because those rig...
The Defence of Marriage Act of 1996 forbids federal governments from recognizing same-sex marriage which means only state governments can decide if they want to legalize or not legalize gay marriages in that state. There are many benefits that straight married couples receive that gay married couples do not receive. The fed...
We are all humans who bleed red. No one should have to limit their happiness because some person does not approve. Gay marriage should be a universal right. In the United States, Gay marriage was legalized on June 26, 2015. This is a large step for us as a country. We are one step closer to equality. We do not want people to feel oppressed or uncared for. Marriage is a bond between the two-people getting married. Everyone deserves to marry the person they love regardless of gender. Same sex marriage will increase revenue, give children homes with gay couples who are willing to invest in them. It is a universal right to be treated fairly and equally. We cannot belittle someone because they are different or do not hold the same beliefs as you.