...The topic of gay marriage has been around for many of years but recently it has swept our nation and is making headlines around the world. It's strange to think that just a few short decades ago this topic was a non issue. Our society has evolved to a point were the issue cannot be ignored any longer and I intend to explain why we as human beings must now come to terms with our ever changing environment and no longer deny this fundamental right to gay couples around the world. Allowing two consenting adults to commit to each other should not be restricted to an exclusive group but available to all because we are created equal. The biggest reason, in my opinion, that gay marriage has come to the forefront of debate is because we are moving towards a free world where everyone can live the life they choose. In today's environment one can travel to many countries around the world and not be shunned for being gay. What this is doing is lowering the stigma of being gay and is allowing gay people to not hide who they are. Because of this the conservative opposition is starting to push back and it has erupted into a worldwide debate of morals. Unfortunately these morals are so different between the two parties that there is no way to convince the opposing sides to listen to each other. The gay community is in a legal purgatory in a sense. They are protected from discrimination as a protected class but they aren't allowed the right to marry. Denying individuals to marry who they want...
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...“Same-Sex Marriage and the Civil Rights Movement” Shelby Atkinson COM/170 April 27, 2015 Vanessa D. Hayden “Same-Sex Marriage and the Civil Rights Movement” Is the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the fight for same-sex marriage the same? African Americans fought discrimination and unfair treatment, segregation and hate for being who they were. Same-sex couples are doing the same thing, now in fighting for equality, rights, and liberties that America owes them all. Same-sex couples may not have been enslaved, but doesn’t that mean same-sex couples don't feel hurt all the same by not being allowed to be with someone they love or in danger because of it. Just because they didn't endure the years of hardship that African Americans doesn't mean same-sex couples don't have their fair share of discrimination for extremely illegitimate reasons. It boils down to people’s blatant fear of change and allowing anything new to blossom. Marriage equality is the same fight as the Civil Rights Movement because it will benefit everyone, end discrimination, and make a better future for our country. Marriage equality will benefit everyone like the Civil Rights Movement did in the 1960’s. Federal, state, and local government will benefit the same ways it did after the Civil Rights Movement. There are 1,138 benefits, rights, and protections available to married couples, but not to same-sex couples until marriage equality is approved everywhere. Marriage equality will create opportunities...
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...Same-Sex Marriage and Its Affect on Society April 9, 2011 Same-Sex Marriage and Its Affect on Society Gay marriage is a highly controversial topic that has caused violence, tears, confusion, debate, and unhappiness, and action towards the gay equality movement. The United States stresses how everyone is equal and everyone has the same rights, but if that were true, why are gays and lesbians not allowed to get married. In the recent years, the concept of same-sex marriage has become quite the controversial issue. Many lawsuits, law amendments, and debates of occurred because of this issue. It has not only caused pain to those who are affected by these laws, but it has caused hatred for both those who are affected and those who believe that same-sex marriage should not happen. There are many benefits to same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriage decreases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases amongst the gay community, increases adoptions, and is all about love; therefore same-sex marriages should be legalized. Gays and lesbians have been fighting hard for equality for many years now. Before the fight for same-sex marriage came about, discrimination against homosexuals was the current war that is still in process. In its earlier years, being gay was unacceptable. People had to hide who they truly were in order to avoid being beaten or bullied. During and after the wild 1960s, a lot of people were sleeping with multiple partners and even groups. This led to gays and lesbians...
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...ago” (Haggerty & Lewis). Same sex marriage has been a hot topic in the United States for a very long time. This issue is highly important because marriage is a human right and it a basic moral that all should know. Many people are against gay marriage because according to many right wing conservatives being gay is a choice and that it is against what we learn from the bible. Same sex marriage should be legalized in every state in the United States because it is a basic human right, it shows family values and anti- discrimination, will increase children adoption rates and same sex marriage will also bring financial benefits. Gay marriage should be legal in the United States because it is a basic human right. Although conservatives will continue to debate the issues of gay rights and same sex marriages for years to come, there has been many improvements. Many individuals that oppose gay marriage will “come to understand the fundamental injustice of subjecting gay and lesbian Americans to their own form of Jim Crow rather than sharing in equal rights for all” (Lampo). There is no different from what this nation did to African Americans during the Civil rights movement, to what we are doing to same-sex couples today, not allowing them to get marries. Recognized federal civil rights law in the United States is grounded in the U.S. Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court. By this standard, marriage has long been established as a civil right. The operative constitutional...
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...that many same-sex couples face obstacles in society because, they are often denied the ability to foster or adopt children, and do not receive equal rights when compared with heterosexual married couples. Annotated Bibliography (1)Alexander, L. J. (2013). Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole: Another step toward same sex marriage in Arkansas? Arkansas Law Review. Vol. 66 (Issue 2), p527-547.The article focuses on the judgment of Arkansas Supreme Court case in Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole; the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act of 2008, known as “Act1”, was an unconstitutional violation of the fundamental privacy rights granted by the Arkansas Constitution. The source is relevant to my thesis statement because it provides the legality of the law. The author pointed out that the election of November 2008, 58 % of Arkansas voters cast ballots that prohibit a person who cohabited “with a sexual partner outside of a marriage that is valid under the Arkansas Constitution and the laws of Arkansas” from adopting or fostering children. The source of the article was from the Arkansas Law Review 2013, vol. 66. The author, LaToya Alexander, is a teaching assistant at the University of Arkansas. She received her Juris Doctor at University of Arkansas School of Law. According to the case the Arkansas Supreme Court decisions suggest that the Arkansas judiciary is taking a more liberal approach to human-rights issues regarding...
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...Same Sex Marriage Of all the groups in the U.S. today, I believe there is one that possibly has the hardest time getting their point across. They work hard, day in and day out trying to find ways to express their ideas but they cannot seem to get any more support and if nothing is done to change this, we may lose them forever. To try to find a way to save them, I have decided I will try to see things from their point of view and try to show just how logical their opinions can be. For my research paper, I challenged myself to write it about why same-sex marriage should not be legalized. After three days of research, I regret to inform you that, with the information I found, there is no logical reason whatsoever that same-sex couples should not be able to get married. I have tried so very hard to find a logical argument against it but I was not able to get any reasons against it. Before I started my research, I thought of a few reasons I thought I could go further with but when I tried to make them work, I could only find arguments against them. The reasons I thought same-sex marriage should not be legalized are because a majority of people voted against it, there would be less procreation, and it would complicate laws by redefining marriage. For years, the issue of same-sex marriage has been a flashpoint issue in the United States. It has been a competing legislation, lawsuits, and ballot initiatives in attempting either to legalize or ban the practice. Nearly seventy...
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... SAME-SEX MARRIAGE Marriage is considered an important aspect of community and culture. It is a right that is not given without serious consideration. Marriage comes with all types of benefits. Property rights, tax related rights, social security benefits, joint parenting and adoption, and estate planning to name a few. Also signifies a couple’s commitment to one another. The right to marriage should be available to all United States citizens. Regardless of sexual orientation. Gays and lesbians (homosexuals) should be able to marry and have the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals. Same-sex marriage is the union of two people of the same gender. Same-sex marriage is a constitutional and human right. In 1978, the Supreme Court ruled marriage as “A fundamental importance to all individuals and the most important relation of life.” The federal government goes by the constitution. The constitution doses not discuss or deal with same-sex marriage directly. Therefore, the federal government doses not recognize same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples are hoping to get federal and state benefits alongside heterosexual couples. The ones against same-sex marriage believe the gays and lesbians (homosexuals) have done something wrong and should be denied the rights and privileges that come with marriage. They think the idea of legalizing same-sex marriage would put the whole idea of marriage a risk of being redefined entirely. While, individuals for same-sex marriage believe...
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...United States of America, we acquire many rights. A few of the many rights that we acquire are the right to freedom of speech, the right to choose our religion, the right to vote for whomever we feel will run our country to his or her greatest potential, and most important of all, the right to equality. Equality is the one thing that many Americans before us have fought and lost their lives over for centuries. Whether it be for race, religion, or the right to marry whichever gender we please, equality is the most profound rights that we have not only as American citizens, but as human beings. In this paper I will discuss my views on same sex marriage and analyze how the states Massachusetts and California are more liberal than the state of Kentucky when it comes to the issues of same sex marriage. The states Massachusetts and California are more liberal than the state of Kentucky when it comes to the issues of same sex marriage. In my opinion all American states should follow the state of Massachusetts and allow the right to same sex marriages. Granting legal marriage rights under the law must extend to gays and lesbians to ensure that all citizens enjoy full human rights. Same sex marriage is not only the marriage of man and man or woman and woman, but the marriage of two human beings who are in love. Love sees no gender, and my location should not play a role in who I can and can not marry. Literature Review Same sex marriage has been a major issue in our country for...
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...“The History of Marriage- A Right or Privilege?” Tatayana Mcfaddin English/147 9/21/2015 Annie Oakes “The History of Marriage- A Right or Privilege?” In early times, same-sex marriage was not considered taboo and in many cultures, it was encouraged. Random history (2011) explains that in the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the union between couples of the same-sex was recognized by the kingdom. During Greek’s early years, attraction between a man and another man was normal and was considered an expression of love. “The main considerations in same-sex relationships in early history were often love, beauty, and excellence of character rather than gender. “(Random History, 2011, P.1). Same-sex Marriages were often believed to be more pure than a heterosexual marriage. Marriage was believed to be the union of two people based on love. A marriage consisting of two males or two females, if women had the right to get marriage, was not frowned upon. It was not until the rise of Christianity that a negative attitude towards same-sex marriage became introduced. The belief that marriage was based on procreation and any relationship that was non-procreative began to increase in many societies. Random History’s 2011 research describes how Eastern religions varied in their views about homosexual marriages. Japanese Buddhism records the most tolerant attitude toward homosexuality, praising it for its mystery. Today, there...
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...Research paper: Same-sex Marriage Petra Jerabkova Sociology 316: Marriage and Family Dr. Alston April 10, 2014 The legalization of same-sex marriage has been a battle that has been raging since the late twentieth century. By not allowing same-sex marriage, the United Sates are creating discrimination against same-sex couples. People of faith are the biggest advocates against same-sex marriages. With the belief that marriage is the foundation for procreation, same-sex couples, without the ability to have their own child, should not be allowed the right of marriage. Seeing that there are many rights and responsibilities associated with marriage, same-sex couples are denied these and are being discriminated against. Same-sex couples are denied the right to make decisions regarding their partner’s health and medical treatment. This emotional trauma, as well as the inability to adopt one another’s children, is experienced by same-sex couples every day. Although many states have adopted civil unions, they are separate and unequal. Same-sex marriage should be legalized to create equality and eliminate the injustice involving same-sex couples. In early times, same-sex marriage was not considered taboo and in many cultures, it was encouraged. Random History (2011) explains that in the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the union between couples of the same-sex was recognized by the kingdom. During Greek’s early years, attraction between...
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...Should same-sex marriage be legalized federally with all states required to comply? As of Feb. 9, 2015, gay marriage has been legalized in 37 U.S states. Twenty-seven percent of Americans thought same-sex marriage should be legal in 1996, according to a Gallup Poll. Fifty-five percent of Americans think it should be legal in 2014, according to the same poll. Legalizing same-sex marriage could have benefits related to an economic boost and the sanctity of marriage. Another reason it should be legal is because marriage is not only a human right, but it is also a civil right. I don’t see why the other 13 states shouldn’t be required to comply with the legalization of same-sex marriage. Many argue that the legalization of same-sex marriage would require more government spending and less revenue, but that is incorrect. The country’s economy would benefit from the legalization of same-sex marriage. The legalization of same-sex marriage has been proven to provide an economic boost to those states and countries that have made same-sex marriage legal. Government revenue from marriage comes from marriage licenses, higher income taxes in some circumstances, and decreases in costs for state benefit programs. Allowing gay couples to marry provides businesses in this industry with a large and new market to access. Nearly $260 million was injected into the New York City economy in the year following the legalization of same-sex marriage. Gay marriage tourism benefits those states which...
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...Morality REL-330 11 April 2014 Same-sex Marriage: Church and State Whether homosexuality is a matter of biological wiring of the human mind or a learned choice is not relevant to this paper. What are relevant are the perception, acceptance, and possibly tolerance of homosexual love, and whether the next logical step in the expression of this love (marriage) has a place in our society and our relationship with God. The American Constitution created a separation of State and Church in order to establish a fair governance of the people, regardless of their religious beliefs. The intent of the ideal of separation of church and state also prevents one form of religion from dictating and overpowering other belief systems. Worldwide we now have a system of democratic norms that, in theory, prevent the establishment of an unfair constraint on human happiness. What is at the heart of this debate over allowing and recognizing the union of same-sex couples? The gay community, the current government and even public opinion see the choice of recognizing same-sex marriage the as a question of equality. Why do the religious institutions reject same-sex marriage as a view of equality? After all, most of the western religions denounce homosexuality and same-sex marriage as being a violation of the religious norms held by each belief system. Let us begin with the gay community’s views regarding same-sex marriage. The gay community sees the rejection of same-sex marriage as an act of discrimination...
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...Here Same-sex marriage has been an ongoing issue for quite some time in the United States and it has existed throughout all of history; it has gone on a roller coaster of decisions just in the past fifteen years. The United States has not always been in favor of same-sex marriage, however, there are regions within the US, such as Massachusetts, that did get off of the path of the rest of the country and made their own laws about granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. “Since 2001, ten countries and other nation-states have begun to legally formalize same-sex marriages, including Canada, Spain, and some regions within the United States” (Reidel 275). With the support of gay marriage from President Barack Obama, a few other states were in support also. The support of same-sex marriage comes from the belief that it would better our society and that it is an equal right amongst couples. Despite the factual evidence, there are still many people who believe that same-sex marriage would harm our society, but there is always an argument against that. The legalization of gay marriage would better our society and there are many sources and an ample amount of research to prove that. Same-sex marriage should be an equal right. As African-Americans once fought for their freedom, women once fought for their right to vote, now homosexuals are fighting for their right to marry. The constitution says that everyone has a right to liberty and equality; however same-sex couples...
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...know that the Missouri State Constitution currently states that marriage is only between a man and a woman even though the United States Supreme Court overruled it in 2015? Banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory, especially when there are benefits only married couples can get. There are benefits for family values due to same-sex marriage due to things like adoption. Marriage is marriage no matter who is allowed to get married or not. Same-sex marriage is a fundamental right because banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory, there are benefits only married couples can get, same-sex marriage benefits family values, some people do not view it as a sin, and it will not change the definition of marriage. Gordon Babst states that...
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...Debate over same-sex marriage: Is it really a threat to the institution of marriage as we know it? Chaniqua Mauldin Dr. Reba Glidewell CST 5334 Ethnic and Cultural Awareness Capella University March 6, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstact 2 Marriage and Religion 4-6 Civil Contract # Religious view # Political and Legal Pressures # Defense of Marriage Act # Proposition 8 # Same Sex Marriage Threat to the Community # Who are same-sex marriages hurting? # Conclusion # Personal Reflections # References # Abstract Homosexuality is a global topic of debate. The topic of homosexuality has been discussed constantly throughout various media outlets. A number of debates have been argued in regard to the rights of homosexuals. One of the most hotly debated subjects is the rights of homosexual couples. This controversial topic has been widely debated for a number of years. However, the trend toward globally accepting same-sex marriage is on the rise. States such as Massachusetts have passed laws to make the union of same-sex marriages legal. Other states have taken initial steps toward accepting same-sex marriage. Whereas others are considering laws and constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage within state borders. Some opponents of same-sex marriage argue that these unions should be prohibited due to the fact spouses cannot produce children in the way God intended. Additionally, those who contest same-sex marriages believe legalization of these unions...
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