...The reason I chose to research gay marriage is because so much of my family is gay, lesbian or bisexual. I believe strongly in the constitution and its elements. This paper discusses homosexuality in our society, particularly in granting homosexual couples a right to marry. I do believe that marriage should be available to all people, regardless if they are the same sex. Many people have said that love has no gender, other believe that it should be banned. This issue, whether or not the same-sex marriage should be allowed, is extremely controversial and the debates never end. In this paper, I take the pro side. But regardless if people want to get married or not, they should be able to live a happy life. Lesbian and gay are also humans, and as humans, they should have the fundamental rights of human that allow a human to choose their husband or wife by themselves. As stated in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that 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 is proof that our founding fathers want us to be happy, with whatever endeavors we pursue. Ever since the Renaissance era, same sex marriage has always been a debate among politicians. After the black plague, Europe's population had significantly declined, and a crack down on homosexuality was started in the hopes of rebuilding Europe's Christian...
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...Gay Marriage: The Complicated Moral Debate The debate on gay marriage is a complicated one. Many different emotions, ideas, and opinions are formed from the subject. There are some who believe that gay marriage is morally wrong, and damages the foundation of the traditional marriage. Andrew Sullivan, a gay rights activist, stated in his article Here Comes the Groom (New Republic, 2015): The argument that gay marriage would subtly undermine the unique legitimacy of straight marriage is based upon a fallacy…Gay marriage could only delegitimize straight marriage if it were a real alternative to it, and this is clearly not true. Gay marriage is not, in short, a denial of family values. It’s an extension of them. (p. 38) In the religious lens on the topic of gay marriage, traditional Christians believe that homosexuality is a sin, which is why it is usually condemned by the church (Dias, 2015). In addition, there are also people that believe gay marriage should not be a law recognized by the federal or state municipalities because they consider it an ‘alternative lifestyle’, a choice made rather than a biologically inherited trait (Rich, 2015). In the next few paragraphs, I will discuss the history of legalization of gay marriage in America, the religious communities’ outlook on the subject of gay marriage, how Hollywood has influenced the gradual acceptance of gay marriage by showing more homosexual people in media, and also discuss some of the psychological and sociological effects...
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...Struggle for Equality in Marriage of Gay and Lesbian Couples William Rigney COM156 4-14-2013 Meg Mikovitis Gay marriage, those two words have the power to stir up controversy, feelings and discussion like no others. Those two words have driven a wedge between the people of the United States, a wedge of tolerance and intolerance. There does not seem to be any middle ground with this debate, one is either in support of this issue of gay marriage, or one is opposed to it. Whatever your feelings are regarding this issue, there is no denying that gay marriage will be an issue for debate for a very long time. While religion may say it is wrong many people believe gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights as straight couples and do not deserve to be treated differently. Webster’s dictionary defines marriage as n., (1) the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual or 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 <same-sex marriage>. This change in definition was made in 2003. Marriage should be about getting married to that special someone that you love, it is not just a piece of paper that ties us together. It also involves legal, economic and social aspects as well. Civil unions and domestic partnerships are discussed every day in society, but neither is the same as a “legal” marriage, and are not afforded the...
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... Same-sex marriage in the USA In the summer of 2012, gay marriage was a steaming hot topic of discussion in the United States. The right of marriage between two men or two women is one of the most controversial debates in the history of America. On several locations around the world, gay marriage is a legal act. But should homosexuals have the same right as “normal” people when it comes to marriage? A lot of different reasons why homosexuals should not have the right to get married have occurred in this discussion. One of the reasons why homosexuals should not have the right to get married, according to American law and point of view is, that if its possible by society, a child has the right to be taken care of by the parents who gave them life. David Blankenhorn, a publisher in the magazine “The New York Times” and author of the book “The future of marriage”, took a stand in this debate in a Californian court where he referred to a piece of law by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children, which guarantees children this exact right. He starts out saying that he once opposed gay marriage on simple principles such as lack of biological ability to create a child, and that the child has the right to be raised by those individuals that committed to each other. Once this is explained, Blankenhorn goes on to say that he is now a marriage advocate, and that it was time for him to change his view on gay marriage. Blankenhorn believes that marriage between same...
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...Gay marriage legalization Gay marriage will always be a debate in this day and age no matter if it is legal or not. It is a topic of conversation that will light many fires within people and get them worked up past their breaking point, but the question remains is why? 2015 proved to be a game changer for the gay and lesbian community in the sense that the US Supreme Court made it legal in all 50 states to grant marriage privilege. There are tons of people and politicians that will fight back against the court system using religious believes as an argument, however everyone seems to forget that the United States was made on religious freedom. With that being said I believe that marriage should still be kept between a man and a woman. Marriage and getting to call something a marriage is nothing but a title on a piece of paper that everyone is striving to get. It is a bond between a man and a woman and within that bond they procreate and develop a family with children. But the people who stand for a same sex marriage believe that a bond should be made legal no matter what gender you are. Yes they are still able to procreate with the help of science or adoption, but is it really still the same in the end? It has always been the normal for children to grow up with one mother and one father and I believe that children need that bond with each gender in order to grow and learn in life. When you have a same sex couple you are denying that child the chance to bond with the other gender...
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...Gay Marriage PHI 103 February 14, 2011 Gay Marriage The American family has changed radically over the last several decades; its beginnings are traceable to the "sexual revolution" that began in the 1960's. A time where the father was the bread winner for his wife and biological children, to today where family arrangements aren't that model, we're now living many varied family arrangements. Unfortunately over the past decade there has become a wide acceptance of homosexuality, causing many differences in the society and government. These differences have raised the question of whether same-sex couples should be allowed to wed even if society says it is morally and ethically wrong or illegal. There are numerous issues surrounding the question of legalizing same-sex marriage. In the wake of recent state, and federal court decisions here in America, the argument over gay marriage has reached a crucial time here in America. With socialist as President and many other socialists in congress America is at a cross roads when it comes to this issue. There have been debates if gay marriage is right according to the Bible, and even if it’s legal according to the U.S. Constitution. What is marriage? Merriam- Webster defines it as “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.” The United States does not recognize this by “law” so therefore legally same sex marriages can...
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...Gay Marriage Tina M. Keena SOC 120: Introductions to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor: Daniel Beteta August 31, 2012 Gay Marriage “The protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago. Since then, a central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States understands that the existence of human rights helps secure the peace, deter aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises” (Bureau of Public Affairs). With this said and published why is there so much debate and argument over the rights of those in the Gay and Lesbian community being allowed to marry each other? The Bible does indicate that marriage is between a man and a woman, but the Bible was written by man as an interpretation of God’s word. This Country with many others has overcome so many obstacles within the times. Banishment of slavery, equal rights to women, and acceptance of interracial marriages has become respected and acceptable. If all of this can come full circle to where it is acceptable, the rights of those who are gay should also be accepted. Equal rights to all human beings regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation should be recognized. In 1967 there was much controversy over the interracial marriage of...
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...How My View on Gay Marriage Changed “Marriage is how society recognizes and protects this right. Marriage is the planet’s only institution whose core purpose is to unite the biological, social and legal components of parenthood into one lasting bond. Marriage says to a child: The man and the woman whose sexual union made you will also be there to love and raise you. In this sense, marriage is a gift that society bestows on its children.” (P. 1, LL. 10-15) Gay marriage is a big topic of discussion in US and all over the world – should homosexuals have the same right and freedom as normal people, when it comes to marriage? Should gay marriage be legalized nationwide? Should everyone be equal or is it unnatural? The right of a marriage for lesbian couples or gay couples is one of the most controversial discussions and debates all over the world. In USA, gay marriage is even a legal act. David Blankenhorn made a book in 2007 called “The Future of Marriage”. He took a stand against gay marriage but as a marriage advocate he has now learned to accept gay marriage and emphasize all the good thinks that it can do. “I’m straight. I want to know what’s so wrong about it? It’s just to people who are in love, that’s all.” In one way gay marriage should be legalized nationwide. Gay couples should just have the same right to marry as heterosexual couples. It is like discrimination to not let gay couples getting marriage just to follow our equality in our country. People need to...
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...Abstract This paper discusses homosexuality in our society, particularly in granting homosexual couples a right to marry. The pros and the cons throw out a ton of arguments supporting their position. This issue, whether or not the same-sex marriage should be allowed, is extremely controversial and the debates never end. In this paper, I take the pro side by providing strong both qualitative and quantitative data, how the homosexual marriage can benefit society, how far they have fought for their rights, etc. Marriage is commonly construed as a legal relationship between a man and a woman or between a husband and a wife to build a new family. According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, a family is “the basic unit in society having as its nucleus two or more adults living together and cooperating in the care and rearing of their own or adopted children.” In spite of this neutral definition of family, it is called neutral because the dictionary never mentions the gender of the adults; many people in our society do not picture lesbian or gay couple when they think about a family. In America, gay or lesbian couples cannot just legally marry as normal couples do in any state, except in Massachusetts; where same-sex marriage is allowed. Same-sex couples have to be ready to receive all the negative consequences because they cannot legally marry; for example, higher estate tax and insurance, difficulties in making end-of-life health care decisions for their partners, etc. But...
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...where one of the very watchwords of the day is equality, we still cling to a fairly archaic idea of the definition of marriage. This definition holds the rights and responsibilities, as well as the protections inherent to this idea of marriage being only available as a legal construct for heterosexual couples. We discriminate against our homosexual citizens and their right to have their long term relationships recognized and given the same validity as those long term relationships of heterosexual couples through the societal construct of marriage. Same-sex marriage has become a huge issue for many in the United States, it is a “lightning rod” issue that seems to polarize the two sides of the argument. There does not seem to be much, if any, common ground to stand upon. A person either holds the belief, often backed by their faith, that gay marriage is unacceptable, or they discard that belief and can't conceive of why that viewpoint is in any way valid. For most people there really is no middle ground. The focus of this paper is to examine same-sex marriage through the lens of the state and federal levels of legislation and constitutional precedent. My personal interest in this subject stems from my own beliefs about homosexuality in general, and particularly the point that I would like is that I believe continuing to deny the right of a fully recognized marriage to...
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...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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...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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...Changing Views on Marriage: How Society Sees Marriage Now Marriage is the bonding of two people legally therefore it should be granted to all-including homosexual marriages. This paper will discuss various points that will conclude that gay marriage has no lasting negative effect on society. Although many will not want to grant such an opportunity, it is a decision that is already on its way to being widely approved of. There has been one argument that has incited interest worldwide: same sex marriage. Being homosexual has changed from being a shameful secret to a public relationship. Over the years, the debate on allowing the legalization of gay marriage has been going on back and forth. It has taken the United States years to publically approve of a homosexual relationship and now this group demands the right to marry legally just like opposite sex couples. Marriage should be a privilege granted to all regardless of sexual orientation because it is a human right as well as a personal decision. One afternoon at a bar in New York in the year 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided by the police (Andryszewski, 11). This bar was the home to many gay couples. In this time, being homosexual was not something to be public about. Those at the bar that afternoon became aggressive and did not allow them to shut the place down. For many nights there were riots that would be aggressive at first and would slowly calm down to become peaceful protest. This event became a critical turning...
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...Team Debate Paper Stacie Hearne, Manita Johnson, Jessica Lightfoot, and Roy Tucker BCOM/275 October 4, 2012 Kwanis Nelson Debate Team Paper “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights 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...
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...Professor Susan Lowman-Thomas English 102 22 Feb 2014 When thinking about same-sex marriage some of the the most common questions that appear have to do with the impact it will have. How will this effect todays society such as the impact on the future generation, the affect on the institution of marriage, and the legality of gay marriage. Most of all this paper will cover some questions that have to do about how society’s attitude toward gay marriage has changed. The most common occurrence of this topic is in current events in the United States. Same-sex marriage is the big topic of discussion now and is very relevant today with changing the institution of marriage. The long term effects of the continuing changes to the institution of marriage are the battle of equality, giving the rights for all couples to marry. Although many changes have happened throughout the history of marriage, struggles still occur today for all types of marriages. This topic influences everyone today. People have an opinion on the situation whether good or bad. The impact of this subject is huge. Not only are the people who are fighting for equality affected but everyone else as well. Even if people turn their cheek to the issue they still play a role. Same-sex relationships will continue to evolve and it will take everyone’s involvement to make changes. For instance interracial marriage has paved the way for marriage equality and much of what interracial couple have gone through is what same-sex...
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