...GAY MARRIAGE 1 Gay Marriage In The United States By: Michael White SOC. 120 PJ Rosch April 2, 2012 GAY MARRIAGE 2 America is a place where a person man or woman can be whoever they want to be. America is the only place in the world where freedom reigns everywhere in the country. But, Why is it that two men or women who love each other can not get married?. Here and now people in LGBT community are fighting for equality. They want the same right as people who are considered to be regular americans to get married. Opposing forces such as certain religous groups, and several other organizations are fighting to stop this from happening. There is an easy solution to the problem why not let people be. If America is truly a land of freedom and expression then why is same sex marriage is prohibited. HISTORY Gay Marriage is something that has been going on for centuries all around the world. Same sex marriage existed in places such as China dated as far back as the Ming Dynasty. The relationships consisted of men and women mostly women who entered into contracts with younger men and women in a fancy ceremony. These ceremonies are similar to the modern day wedding between a male and female. The first recorded gay marriage occured during the Roman Empire. This marriage was between an Emperor by the name of Elagabus and slave named Hierocles. This marriage still was not fair because in the eyes of the Roman Law, the slave Hierocles was noted as a female. Various Cultures...
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...Introduction In mass media today, there are numerous gaps between reality and the information that is presented. Seemingly every current issue, whether it’s political, social or otherwise, is reported through so many different outlets and with so many different facts that it’s hard to grasp what the reality is. The role of media in democracy is to represent every perspective and to provide well-researched and accurate information to create an educated and involved society. Media’s representations impact our society’s perception and shared reality. The way media represents a certain topic creates a public perception. Because of media framing, they can show us certain sides of an issue or shine a light on one perspective while effectively dimming the light on another. Because of this, we create perceptions based off of information that may not be whole. With these perceptions, we begin to construct a social reality. Once this reality is created, it is difficult to change it even if we find contradicting information. Because of these reasons, the way media represents information is crucial. The issue that will be discussed in this paper is that of gay marriage, stereotypes of homosexuals, and the scientific side of homosexuality. The way media has represented this topic over the past 30 years has varied immensely. We’ve come a long way over the past couple decades and homosexuality is now widely discussed in all forms of media including news, television, advertisements, movies...
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...Same Sex Marriage in the US. Gay marriage is an issue in America because gay and lesbian couples are wanting to be able to get married but a lot of people believe that it is wrong. Some people believe that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Others think that anyone should be able to marry whoever they want regardless of what gender they are. This issue is important to me because it is relevant to my life. I am a lesbian and I have a girlfriend that I would like to marry someday. Not only me, but other gay Americans, such as Ellen DeGeneres, may want to marry their partners one day as well, but cannot because the government will not allow it. I think that gay marriage is a good topic for me to research for the entire semester, because I know that it is a major issue in the U.S and people are fighting for or against it constantly. This topic is very dear to me and relevant to my life, so I definitely have the passion to write about it for an entire semester. Even before I was with a girl I was interested in this issue. I have had gay friends all throughout my life and always thought that it was unfair that them and their partners could not legally get married even though they had been together for years. I have always been a supporter of the gay community and a supporter of same-sex marriage. What I already know about the topic is that some religious groups, such as the Westboro Baptist Church, and political parties, such as the Republicans, are against gay marriage...
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...advantage of various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. This act, often referred to as citizen journalism, is used to facilitate the spreading of news particularly towards ‘Gay Marriage’. This process of dissemination is an effective strategy as an effort to communicate their ‘voices being heard’. Now, Twitter, as a media platform, is being used to promote or demote the voices of Gay Marriage. The immediacy and easy format to distribute the message to a widespread audience is its most appealing trait. Many twitter users have dedicated tweets to the possibility of Gay Marriage, whether they are supporters of the lesbian and gay community or highly against the implementation of gay marriage. They utilize the readily available news articles, their own photos, links to videos and hash tags to spread their relevant gay marriage message. Twitter is an excellent platform to send messages to a vast audience. Very often in online news articles or blogs, readers are encouraged to leave their own feedback and comments towards the article itself or the author’s perspective, their own voice. Where by enabling recommendations, sending tweets, and sharing through various platforms at the end of an article. These actions are spreading awareness of same-sex marriage through grass-roots means. Sharing articles on Facebook are seen by everyone in your friends’ news feed, similar to twitter and using hash tags to...
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...Gay Marriage Gay marriage has become a big topic for the last twenty years. When it comes to gay marriage, I am not with or against, but more neutral about it. I come from a catholic family and I’ve attend church most of my life. As long as people are happy, then it shouldn’t matter how they want to live their lives. Gay marriage has been accepted in some countries and others are fallowing. There is absolutely no part of history which determines whether gay marriage should be allowed or not. There is totally no official, rational, or principal reason that gay couples cannot marry and it's very undemocratic in all ways to tell. Gay marriage should be authorized for a some reasons, a few being, it does not make any difference if two men or two women want to get married, not allowing them to wed makes them feel inferior and also violates human rights. No one likes feeling low-grade, or like they a less standards, by making gay marriage prohibited you make couples who are involved with the same sex feel lesser to others. Homosexuality is not a cognizant choice; it's something in- born. Just as you did not choose who you love, neither did they. So it is unfair to make gay marriage seem awkward when it is no dissimilar. Human rights are an issue people have tried hard to uphold over the years, banning slave trade and enforcing women rights. Homosexual groups are not supposed to be different. They need to have their human rights respected, just like women are allowed...
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...Table of Contents · Introduction · Homosexual Marriages Should Have the Same Rights as Heterosexual Marriages. · Comparisons to Other Countries · Europe · Africa · Background · First Argument with Gay Marriage · Changes in the Ability to Get Married · Hate Crimes · Identification of Policy Alternatives · Legalizing Gay Marriage Amongst All States · Legalizing Gay Marriage Amongst All States, but Naming it “Civil Unions” · Legalizing Gay Marriage/Civil Unions Against Some States, Recognizing it in All · Recommendation · References INTRODUCTION: Same Sex Marriages Having Same Rights as Heterosexual Marriages Gay marriage has been an active debate amongst politicians, religious figures, and the public. The debate has spanned over a decade with little change for either side. The issue of gay marriage is not just about the name of what the union is called, but the right to be able to legally join as homosexual couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples. Reasons for someone to be in favor of this topic are that there should be a separation of religion and politics, it deprives homosexuals of their natural rights, and this issue has escalated to violent hate crimes towards homosexuals. As it stands, currently 9 million adults are homosexuals, representing 4 percent of the 18 and over population in the United States with no signs of diminishing. Public administrators have done little...
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...Ring In today’s world, many controversial issues are discussed such as abortion, prostitution, and homosexuality. Same sex marriage has been debated in various countries for many years. This issue brings wide concern to moral and human rights. In earlier times, same-sex marriages were evidential tolerated in parts of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt as shown in artifacts found. The Western world was known for being very accepting of same-sex relationships and unions, which is revealed in Greek paintings. People who are against gay marriage primarily focus on the moral aspect of gay marriage. Supporters of gay marriage think about same-sex couples and the positive effects it can have on them and our society. Gay marriage should be legalized in all states because it is their civil right, it increases family value which leads to an increasing rate in adoption, and same sex marriages stimulate the economy through financial increase. People who are non-supporters of gay marriage believe it goes against the moral and definition of marriage. In Market Watch magazine (2008), many people believe that gay marriages destroy the value of family and tradition. Furthermore, same sex marriage completely goes against major religions such as Catholicism and Islam. However, people do not realize that civil and religious marriages are distinct and separated. Joe Solmoneses, the president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, states that marriage is not only an important religious meaning but...
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...Keenen Walker Price Sociology 1160 3 December 2013 Same Sex Marriage The term social problem is defined as something that is damaging to society. There is a process for something to become considered a social problem. The process is made up of multiple steps all starting with claims making. Claims making is the step that defines the problem as an actual issue that is harmful to society. In the issue of gay marriage rights, the claims makers are people such as political leaders and people who have authority in society. Gay marriage rights is a major controversial issue here in the United States. Even though, according to a poll taken by Gallup, the majority rule of fifty-two percent would be for gay marriage to be legalized by the American people, it is still a very big issue. There are still many people who are not accepting of the gay marriage rights, believing that marriage is tradition between a man and a woman. The issue has been a main topic in political campaigns, and even in the 2012 election between Obama and Romney. The issue was brought up in many of the debates because it such a current issue, with both sides having very different opinions. In the poll taken by Gallup, the demographic groups who are the most supportive of gay marriage rights were: liberals with seventy seven percent agreeing, those with no religious affiliation with seventy six percent, Democrats with seventy percent, young adults aged eighteen to thirty-four with sixty nine percent, those...
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...Running Head: GAY MARRIAGE 1 Gay Marriage: Good or Bad? Terry Richmond SOC 120 Robert Gala Oct. 1, 2012 GAY MARRIAGE 2 Gay Marriage: Good or Bad? Some organizations will lead you to believe that if same-sex couples are allowed to marry it will further weaken the institution of marriage. However, two people of the same sex should be allowed to marry because it would give them basic rights such as hospital visitation, taxation, and access to family health coverage. Same-sex marriages could bring a huge financial gain to local and state governments in the form of marriage license fees, higher income taxes, and a decrease in state benefit program costs. If we continue to deny marriage to same-sex couples it will send the message that it is ok to discriminate against them. As some well-known anti-gay groups such as Focus on the Family diminish their stance on gay marriage, a core of smaller groups that are mostly religious motivated continue to demonize homosexuals...
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...the legalization of gay marriage, the strength of that side is based on the ballot box. According to the Constitution, it has no specific right to marriage as people have viewed. That's where the ballot box comes in for people to vote and decide if gay marriage should be legal or not. If the majority of people believe that is the right thing to do then the public will be won over. The only weakness about this view would have to be that the majority rule does not work in the favor of gay couples. Viewing the State-by-State statements, people want to figure out if determining the legality of gay marriage should be continued to be argued and if it is appropriate. The weakness about this view is that the power is left for the states to decide because the Constitution is not authorized by the federal government of gay marriage. Meaning that each state has the power to decide on whether what their own policy will be as a state. Based on the Defense of Marriage Act, it gives each state the legal authority to approve or reject same-sex marriages. The strength about this resolves to federalism taking over to operate and letting the subsets of states get their way by their own people locally. Reading the civil rights issue conveys only a positive side to all of it. The issue conveys to be considered as a civil right problem because of what America went through with the laws being outlawed to interracial marriage. The strength that helps this is considering this issue to be discriminatory...
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...Within this essay, the main focus will be to develop a thorough analysis and discussion in relation to the topic of gay marriage. In order to construct this, this essay will discuss positions in favor of and against gay marriage. In reference to the position supporting gay marriage, the discussion will focus on; discrimination and equality and respect on individual’s rights. The points that will be discussed contraty to gay marriage will be building upon ideas that we rose in the debate as well as incorporating some new material. Throughout this essay, the ‘for and against’ positions will distinguish between both sides of the argument. Inclusion of scholarly articles will become evident throughout this essay to support the main points that will be made within this argument on gay marriage as well incorporating case studies that support both ‘for and against’ gay marriage. Overall, this essay will display a thorough representation and discussion on how gay marriage can be positioned in society with valid points made both ‘for and against’. Gay marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of today’s society. Similarly, this leads to the discussion of homosexuals having the right to marry in society. Ultimately, conflict from the opposing position of ‘against’ gay marriage may arise that gay marriage can destroy the concept of marriage and mock the importance of procreation. In reference to this; everyone in society has the right to marry regardless of gender...
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...that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Gay marriage has become one of the hottest issues in politics. Supporters of gay marriage have compared their struggle for equality to an era when African- Americans were denied their right to vote, some have even argued that to be denied of your right to marry is also a direct violation of your civil rights. Non supporters of gay marriage beliefs are based more from a religious stand point as well personal values. With homosexuality being seen by a vast majority as being immoral and sinful, the biggest argument to date is that many people feel by allowing gay marriage to take place that this will weaken the institution of marriage and family values. On September 21, 1996 both houses of Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA a federal law which defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. This law, signed by then President Bill Clinton denies the rights of same-sex couples to marry. Not only does this law prevent same-sex couples to marry, it also denies these men and women certain monetary benefits such as public employee benefits, social security survivors, government employee benefits. “Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg recently suggested at a University of Colorado interview that the Supreme Court could likely decide soon whether the law that bars federal recognition of same –sex marriage is constitutional” (Voorhees, 2012). Today a hotly debated question...
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...Gay Marriage: What’s the Problem??? “Homosexuality is not normal and should not be established as an acceptable ‘alternative’ lifestyle,’” Blount wrote. “A day is fast approaching when North Carolina will have to deal with the issue of same sex marriage.” This phrase is written across dozens of newspapers, journals, and websites. All you have to do is simply go to yahoo, type in gay marriage in North Carolina and thousands of results come up. Now you may think at first that most of these websites or links may just be talking about the approaching topic, but you would be baffled by what you actually do find. In my case the first time I searched the topic of gay marriage in this state, I was at a loss for words when the first 500 results were all against gay marriage. Such titles as “support traditional marriage” and “nogaymarriage.com” where some of the first I saw. You would have to rummage around through thousands of results before finding one moderate website that could actually tell you what was going on without putting in their own input. Gay marriage, in my opinion should be allowed. There is no strong reason for why homosexuals cannot be married. People should drop all of the political jargon and realize how they would feel if someone told them they could not marry the person they loved just because they were heterosexual. It’s easier to understand once the shoe is one the other foot. One argument heard is that same sex marriages will take away from the founding...
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...enter into consensual marriage is enshrined in international human rights standards. Article 16, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. For more than a decade, this non-discrimination principle has been interpreted by UN treaty bodies and numerous inter-governmental human rights bodies as prohibiting discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. Non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation has therefore become an internationally recognized principle and many countries have responded by bringing their domestic laws into line with this principle in a range of spheres including partnership rights http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/lgbt-rights/marriage-equality Gay marriage has divided the American people over the past few years. Yet such a sharp divide is a very recent occurrence. Only a decade ago, gay marriage was nil but an afterthought on the plates of many U.S. leaders. Liberal Democrats like John Kerry and Hillary Clinton did not even support or condone the idea that gays should be able to marry. Yet the turn of the century brought new life and perspective into this issue, and at this moment, a substantial majority of the American public actually support gay marriage. The Legal Definition of Marriage: Why Rely on the Bible...
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...The Controversy of Same-Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage has been a controversial social issue in the U.S. for several decades, but public opinion on this topic seems to be evolving. For example, an annual poll by Gallup has been tracking the question of whether or not same-sex marriages should be legal since 1968, and the percentage of favorable responses has increased from 27 percent to 53 percent during this time frame. Although this certainly is not a huge majority, it does indicate that the support for same-sex marriage within the U.S. is likely to become increasingly widespread over the next couple of decades. However, there are still several religious and political groups who are opposed to the idea of same-sex marriage. This opposition is typically based on the belief that homosexuality is a sin, but the separation of church and state is supposed to make this viewpoint legally irrelevant. The Current Status of Same-Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage is legal in nine states, Washington, D.C. and two Native American tribes. There are also several other states that are considering making same-sex marriage legal, and Illinois is poised to become the next state to take this step. In addition to which, the U.S. Supreme Court is getting ready to hear arguments in a case that will determine whether or not California’s same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional. President Barack Obama declared his support of same-sex marriage in May 2012, and some people believe that this has had...
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