Same Sex Marriage Debate

Beyond wanting to uphold the legal principles of nondiscrimination and equal treatment, supporters say that there are very practical reasons behind the fight for marriage equity. They point out that homosexual couples who have been together for years often find themselves without the basic rights enjoyed by many heterosexual couples who legally marry- from the sharing of health and pension benefits to hospital visitation rights.

A gay couple from Indianapolis who have waited to marry for years have been quoted as saying: “We 're positive because the mindset in this nation seems to be that it is unconstitutional to say that our marriages are different from any other marriage.” (pro-con,1) This means that gay people are staying optimistic. Prohibiting gay marriage is considered discrimination to gays because the government is not giving homosexual couples the same rights as gay heterosexuals, which is also unconstitutional. Therefore, same-sex couples should have access to the same marriage benefits and public acknowledgment enjoyed by heterosexual couples. (pro-con,1)

Gay rights and marriage equality has always been a major issue. Not only in the United States, but all throughout various cultures in the world. One of the main reasons why it is not widely accepted is due to religious or cultural reasons. Thankfully, more people have become more accepting of it and keeping an open mind about it. As of June 26th, 2015, gay marriage has has finally been legalized in all 50 states. However, there are still people who do not agree with it and still try to vote against it. Some Americans even want laws made to ban same-sex marriage and relations again. Although the legalization of same-sex marriage has been accomplished, most people continue to fight against those who still discriminate against the LGBT community.

Gay marriage is where the same sex get married. But, not everyone agreed that that was a good idea. In June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is a right protected by the US Constitution in all 50 states. There were many people that were against gay marriage. They said it was against their religion, that marriage is just to have children, and a child needs both a mother and a father.

This led to the legalization of gay marriage in all fifty states of the United States. The thirteen remaining states which had provisions against gay marriage prior to the ruling were no longer able to impose their provisions. Even prior to the ruling, a majority of Americans supported gay marriage. In 2001, it was determined via polling that 35-57% of Americans opposed gay marriage whereas in 2016 is has been determined that 55% of Americans support gay marriage with only 37% who oppose it. The US Supreme Court stated, “Well into the 20th century, many States condemned same-sex intimacy as immoral, and homosexuality was treated as an illness. Later in the century, cultural and political developments allowed same-sex couples to lead more open and public lives. Extensive public and private dialogue followed, along with shifts in public attitudes. Questions about the legal treatment of gays and lesbians soon reached the courts, where they could be discussed in the formal discourse of the law." President Obama publicly supported the ruling; however, opponents continued to be vocal in their dissatisfaction with the ruling. There was significant uproar against the ruling and many opponents argued that the ruling disregarded their religious freedom. Many opponents continued to refuse their services, including wedding ceremonies, to gay couples out of respect

Gay marriage was first applied for in 1970, but was rejected until 2003. This is the way it should have stayed… In 1970, Richard John Baker and James Michael McConnell applied to Hennepin County District Court clerk Gerald Nelson for a marriage license. He denied the application because both applicants were men. Baker and McConnell sued Nelson and the court sided with Nelson, as did the Minnesota and U.S. Supreme Courts because all ruled that marriage is between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriage should not be legalized in any other states and should be reconsidered in the 37 states it’s currently legal in because children need a mother and father and legalizing these unions could lead to a slippery slope of approving

The current major state and federal law that is affecting same-sex marriage is the Defense of Marriage Act , or DOMA as it also called. The Defense of Marriage Act is a federal law that allows each state to recognize or deny any marriage-like relationship between persons of the same-sex that has been recognized in another state and it also explicitly recognizes for purposes of federal law that marriage is "a legal union of one man and one woman as husband and wife" and by stating that spouse "refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife." When asking the people that I interviewed what their feelings were towards the Defense of Marriage Act and how it currently affects the issue of same-sex marriage and the interviewees who were for same-sex marriage felt that the law was inherently wrong and the person I interviewed who was opposed to same-sex marriage thought the law was good except for one obvious flaw with it.

State legislatures, voters and more recently the courts have made sweeping changes over the past two decades in laws defining whether marriage is limited to relationships between a man and a woman or is extended to same sex couples. Gay marriage and gay rights are a major controversy in the world today. It is a constant debate on whether or not traditional marriage is out-of-date and that a new way is better. Although many believe in gay rights, it is difficult to support something that is against the foundation of America, and something that is harmful to the people of America.

A large majority of people in the United States will say that they are in favor of equal rights for homosexuals. They will all agree that homosexuals should have the same rights in housing, jobs, public accommodations, and should have equal access to government benefits, equal protection of the law, and other rights granted to US citizens. However, when the topic of marriage arises, all the talk of equality ceases. Over fifty percent of all people in the United States oppose homosexual marriage, despite the fact that most are otherwise supportive of homosexual rights. This means that many of the same people who are even passionately in favor of homosexual rights oppose homosexuals on this one issue. This is because there is a lot of

The social invention of marriage has changed over time, and as discussed above, it is no longer acceptable to separate black people from white while claiming to treat them “equally”. Similar to this, we cannot claim to be treating homosexuals equally, while enforcing laws that exclude them. The progression that our country has made towards civil rights have come about simply because we are all citizens of the United States. In a society so richly entrenched in the search for and the maintenance of equality, with a specified legal separation between church and state, we cannot ethically allow laws to be enacted based on the religious beliefs of specific groups of people. So, if the definition of marriage for one group of people holds its convictions in religious or biological nature, it should not be inflicted upon all citizens.

Gay marriage is one right that homosexuals are struggling to maintain. Gay marriage is only legal in a portion of the states in America today. The main argument against gay people being allowed to legally marry is religion. Marriage is a religious act and is referred to in the Bible. The Bible also states that “...you shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination,” (Leviticus 18:22). Therefore people that strongly follow the Bible often say that marriage is between a man and a woman because that is the way that God intended it; however, that also raises the fact that we live in the United States of America, and in this country people have the right to follow any religion they want, if any at all. The Bill of Rights declares “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (The Bill of Rights). Legally people have the right to follow any religion they please, so why should the United States’ laws be controlled by the restrictions and ideals of one specific religion. Not everyone follows the religion of Christianity and because we live in America they don’t have to. In some religions, it is socially

First, it can clearly be seen that same-sex marriage is primarily about equality. Everyone has equal rights and liberties to chase happiness, as long as it does not cause harm to the society, so why should their freedoms be limits? Why can’t someone be able to marry a person they truly love? Discrimination and banning homosexual couples to get married violates human rights and freedoms. Laws which against gay marriage deny the First Amendment which states that everyone has freedom of speech, expression and religion. Sexual determination is an option, so it is how some people can express themselves.

Unions have been discussed up how legalization can be justified in states. Not even just U.S citizens want legalization in the same sex marriage but politicians as well. Though the legalization of gay marriage has been approved in certain states, same sex couples don’t have the same rights as traditional marriage. Civil union right support same sex marriage with benefits such as legal protections relating to wills and property, probate, adoption, spousal abuse, access to state employee group insurance, workers compensation benefits, family leave benefits and power of attorney.

One of the most reasons that legalization of the same-sex marriage is equality of civil rights. Civil rights are the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality (Oxford dictionaries 2015). People deserve their rights which are permitted by government. Law-abiding citizens who pay their taxes and serve the community should be guaranteed the rights equally under the law. However, not all the citizens are assured equal rights. In some way, some people are denied their rights by government, especially, same-sex couples who want to get marriage, even they are upstanding citizens. Because of sexual orientation, they are treated unfairly by government and people. It is also discrimination. This discrimination should be stop because same-sex couples are eligible for having same rights as heterosexual couples.

Same-Sex marriage has been a huge topic in recent days, weeks, months, and years. One by one numerous countries and states have realized that the right to marry is exactly that a RIGHT! But still so many fight against it through reasons of religion, fear of the unknown, or just to be hateful. Left and right they’ve tried every way possible to keep loving couples (some with children, either adopted or born via surrogacy) from getting to say “This is my husband or this is my wife”, share a last name, stand before their friends, family, and God (or whatever higher power in which they believe) and say “This man/woman is my forever.”, and even more seriously, have access to the legal benefits of marriage that are too many to mention in this moment but each is something that many opposite-sex couples take for granted every day. I, being a Christian and a gay man who hopes to one day say “I do” to the man God blesses me to have, have heard both sides of the story numerous times in many different ways and have noticed the main arguments used against this issue seem to consist of “It goes against the definition of a traditional marriage”, “It will destroy all marriages”, and “It endangers children/will decrease the population”. All of these arguments, in context and lack of research into the opposite side, do seem do have some play in this matter but when you look at what the