The Same Sex Marriage Debate
The controversial debate over whether same sex marriage should be legalized has gained a lot of attention in recent years and there are strong arguments for each side of the issue. There are many different factors that must be looked at when considering same-sex marriage. A marriage is not something that is just slapped on a piece of paper to show a couple's love; it involves legal, social, economic, and spiritual issues. Throughout this essay, I intend to focus on all of the issues just mentioned, and how all of these issues are interrelated in some way, shape or form. I will also pay attention to the state influence on marriage, how one state's decision affects another state's actions, and last how the legislation and courts deal with same sex marriage. While I am strongly against the marriage of individuals from the same sex for political, social, and personal reasons, I will be sure to include the pros and cons of each argument.
There have been a few states or towns that have allowed same sex marriage to take place, but in each of these cases a court later found the licenses granted to gay couples unconstitutional due to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act that was enacted in 1996. Soon afterwards, thirty-eight states followed with similar legislation. The act serves two purposes; first, it makes the "full faith and credit" clause null and void in regards to same sex marriage. Second, it puts in writing what has been understood under federal law for over 200 years: marriage is the legal union of a man and a woman as husband and wife, and a spouse is a husband or wife of the opposite sex. Many of the religions practiced in America established marriage as a sacred institution since the be...
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...lature and the courts, as mentioned in Banks vs. Banks. I will support a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriages, unfortunately I believe that in the long run the gay community will gain more and more support for their cause, just as other minorities have in the past.
Works Citied
"Gay Couples Get Marriage Licenses." The Advocate Report. 3 March 2004. Issue 911. http://web7.epnet.com/citation.asp
Gay and Lesbian Information. 3 March 2004. http://www.avert.org/homosexu.htm.
"Marry Me and Save." Money Talks. 30 March 2004. http://web7.epnet.com/citation.asp
Simon, Rita J. and Howard Alstein. Global Perspectives on Social Issues. Pp 13-19 Maryland: Lexington Books, 2003.
Staver, Mathew. "Georgia Appeals Court Rejects Same-Sex Marriage." National Liberty Journal. March 2002. 13 April 14, 2004. http://www.lc.org/radiotv/nlj/ nlj0302.htm.
As an American citizen, a person should be entitled to marry whoever they choose, regardless of gender or sexual preference. Gay marriage is something that some people consider to be taboo while other people are very supportive of it; I am one of the latter. The ability to marry someone is a basic human right and it should not be taken away from someone because they love a person of the same gender. One of the main reasons that gay marriage is illegal in the United States is because of what the Bible says about it, regardless of the fact that the first Amendment of the US Constitution says that there is to be a separation between church and state. Approximately three point eight percent of the United States population is made up of people
Marriage is defined as “(1) the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage ("Marriage," 2003, p. 659). Despite the latter definition’s addition to dictionaries in the past decade, this definition of marriage is still debated. Being a touchy subject in both politics and religion today, it’s been very hard to come to an agreement. There are two main sides to this argument regarding the nature of marriage. Some stick to their conservative and/or religious beliefs, while others state that marriage is a civil right (Kim, 2011, p. [Page 38]). However, same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in North Carolina and thirty-two other states at this time ("Defining Marriage: State Defense," 2014). Homosexuals have been denied many of the rights given to those that are heterosexual. Same-sex couples are not able to receive other benefits as a heterosexual couple would. The lack of benefits is extremely unequal and unfair. This unacceptable treatment is unconstitutional and should not continue.
Originally colonizing for religious reasons in the 17th century, the United States of America has evolved since then into a nation that separates government and personal beliefs. Although the U.S claims that their church and state is separated, the issue of gay marriage is still a relevant issue today. Thoughts on same-sex marriage are primarily based off of religious beliefs, yet the U.S. government still believes it should control whether gays should be married or not. The U.S. should make gay marriage legal, because it is unconstitutional not to do so.
Savage, Charlie., and Stolberg Sheryl G. “In Shift, U.S. Says Marriage Act Blocks Gay Rights.”
The issue of gay marriage needs little introduction as it is one of the most widely contended and discussed topics in the United States of America. While the issue is relatively recent one has to question why this is even an issue to begin with. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Arguments come from both religious groups, as well as secular focused sources. Reasoning against gay marriage ranges from religious immorality, to the idea that giving gays the right to marry would support minoritarianism (giving minority special privileges and advantages in either a legislative or societal capacity). There are countless arguments besides those mentioned, few of which have any substantial grounds to stand on. Gay marriage causes no political or communal grief, except for those who strongly oppose it now. Even for those people gay people exist either way. Whether they are married or not will not change that and their lives will not be dramatically changed from it. Gay marriage has no valid reason to be outlawed and there are plenty of reasons to allow it.
Same-sex marriage is one of the leading political topics in the United States today. There is an ongoing dispute pertaining to the legalization of same-sex marriages. America has shifted its head to focusing on supporting same-sex marriage or not. Many are for and against this topic but there has been no settlement for it yet. Homosexuals want to marry for the same reason that heterosexuals have and there should be no reason why they are not allowed to. There is some history behind this topic but there has yet to be a solution.
The topic of same-sex marriage, or gay marriage, is extremely divisive in today's society. This paper will address some of the issues surrounding gay marriage. Many in favor of same-sex marriage suggest that gay couples should have the same marital benefits as heterosexual couples, which is simply a civil rights issue. In contrast, those against same-sex marriage see this concept as a moral matter, which violates traditional ethical standards. Since the beginning of time, most cultures have acknowledged marriage a unity between men and women. In addition, the concept of traditional marriages has been challenged in some states to allow same-sex marriage as well. In response to this movement, many states have passed marriage laws to forbid gay marriages. Hence, currently there are some states in favor of gay marriage and some states against gay marriage. Moreover, there are many ways to look at this issue such as personally, religiously, and politically.
Same-sex marriages should be legal everywhere in the United States of America. According to the Constitution, marriage is a civil right that all Americans are born with. Our country has decided by passing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996 that two people of the same gender cannot get married. By taking away this basic civil right, America has defied what our Founding Fathers based our country one, freedom. Homosexuals are allowed to speak freely, to bear arms, to have privacy, to b...
Marriage has always been a sacred agreement between a man and a woman. This definition was written in the Bible and sanctified by God. Our country was founded on the principles of the Bible and therefore should not support an action, such as legalizing gay marriage, which goes against our founding beliefs.
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).
Gay marriage has been a controversial issue for over half a century; one of the issues is where gays aren’t allowed to marry another individual of the same sex. There have been propositions, bans and legalizations on same-sex marriage that differ from state to state. Some states for example such as California and New York allow gay marriage and the remaining states disagree with that decision. The thoughts and beliefs of citizens of different states also have conflict, especially in the southeastern region of the United States as they are anti-gay. Some individuals feel that in the traditional definition that marriage is usually between one man and one woman. However, there are others who believe that true love does not have a gender and everyone has the right to marry whomever the want. Even if the whole nation decided to officially prohibit gay marriage, or legalize it, there will always be people with logical and moral conflicting opinions and judgments on same-sex marriage. The main argument is to analyze what actually determines a marriage to be acceptable or unacceptable to society.
Same sex marriage is the new topic for the 20th century. Gay marriage is not a liberal or conservative issue, but an issue of enforcing the US Constitution's guarantee of equal protection and due process to all Americans. Just like skin color, sexual orientation is an immutable characteristic, so the gay minority must be protected from discrimination just as racial minorities are protected. Accordingly, the constitutional right to marry cannot be subject to a majority vote. The Constitution does guarantee freedom of religion for those who see homosexuality as inconsistent with their religion, but it also states that religious beliefs cannot be the basis for anti-gay rights legislation. It is time to end centuries of discrimination against gays and lesbians by upholding the Constitution's equal protection guarantees and eliminating state laws against gay marriage.For over a decade, research has examined the changes in attitudes toward same-sex marriage. There are many different angles that have impacted this. For example, race, ethnicity, gender, age are huge impacts on your opinion on same-sex marriages. The issue of gay marriage hit the national stage during the 20014 elections as a divisive issue meant to drive religious conservatives to the polls. Still today, this issue remains. Should gay and lesbian marriages be legal in all states? Yes they should because it would bring more money to the state, it would lower the suicide rating and possibly decrease divorce rate, and people should be rights as said in the fourteenth amendment. As of today, the following states have legalized gay marriage: Massachusetts (May 17, 2004), Connecticut (Nov. 12, 2008), Iowa (Apr. 24. 2009), Vermont (Sep. 1, 2009), New Hampshire (Jan. 1, 20...
Today’s society argues widely the correctness of same-sex marriage. Marriage for many people is believed to be a relationship between two people, preferably man and woman. The LGBT community battles for their right to marry without being denied by the government. The legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States has great importance for the future of marriage equality throughout the LBGT community. Same-sex marriage will not harm the function of society or other marriages in it, as well as being protected by the Constitution, and relieves lifelong discrimination.
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court came to the conclusion that marriage is a right protected by the U.S. constitution in all 50 states. Prior to their decision, same sex marriage was legal in 37 states, including Washington D.C. Same sex marriage goes against what the bible says. I feel that homosexuality is unnatural and immoral. Gay marriage is incompatible with the beliefs of several Christian.
First, it is unconstitutional for federal law to ban same sex marriage. In its 2003 Lawrence v. Texas case, the Supreme Court overruled previous sexuality precedents by declaring unconstitutional laws that made homosexual sodomy a crime, holding that although the Constitution says nothing about sex or marriage, there is nonetheless a right to consensual sexual activity between adults that government cannot regulate. This was over the vigorous dissent of conservative justices, who said that the Constitution commits such questions of marriage and morality to the states and the democratic process, and that therefore federal courts have no power to impose their own moral judgments. Despite this realization, homosexual couples have been restricted for decades. The “Defense of Marriage Act” was signed into effect in 1996. This act “amends the Federal judicial code to provide that no state, territory, or possession of the United States or Indian tribe shall be required to give effect to any marriage between persons of the same sex under the laws of any other such jurisdiction or to any right or claim arising from such relationship.” This act also sets into play a federal definition of “marriage” and “spouse”; marriage being defined as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife” and spouse being defined as “only a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife”.