Debate Paper
Should same sex marriage be legalized in the United States? In some of our states laws have already been passed to allow same sex couples the freedom to get married, while other states are still resisting for one reason or another. As with everything else there is more than one side, more than one argument supporting and more than one argument resisting the changes being proposed. There are religious reasons, moral reasons, constitutional reasons and financial reasons being used by both sides and the debate seems to get nowhere. For every argument for the issue there is always an argument against it. I have my own opinion about the issue, however I will look at the arguments themselves on each side to identify which side has
…show more content…
As for the pro side of the issue, they have plenty of their own arguments. One of them is that gay marriage will not harm traditional marriage or family values in any way. According to studies done by the American Anthropological Society there is no support to show that marriage has to be a heterosexual institution. Another argument is that if marriage was strictly for purposes of reproduction, then couples in which one or both partners were infertile, or too old to conceive would not be able to marry. A favorite among homosexual couples is that they should have the same benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy, including family health plans, social security benefits and tax exemptions. The final argument that I found for gay marriage is that it is not a religious issue so it religious beliefs should have no effect on whether or not they are allowed to get married.
I believe that the stronger arguments on this issue are the pro -gay marriage arguments. The institution of marriage is already weak with almost half of the traditional marriages ending in divorce, and the studies done by the Anthropological Society show that allowing gay marriage will not make a difference in the current trends. One of the purposes of traditional marriage is to reproduce, however not all straight couples are able to do that naturally and they have to use alternate methods
Opponents of gay marriage often use the defense that the cultural traditional definition of marriage needs to be protected, and cannot be altered to include homosexuals. An anti-gay marriage article reads, "Marriage is not created by government. It is older than the Constitution, older than America, older even than the church. It
The biggest problem the gay population faces regarding legal marriage is the Christians. A true Christian doesn't want a married gay couple to have the same title as he and his wife have, because they take the vowel under god seriously. A firm believer would say that a gay marriage is absurd. Homosexuality goes against nature because we were given sexual organs for the purpose of reproduction, not for pleasure. It is believed that homosexuals will be forsaken for committing
Same sex marriages have both pros and cons. With this issue, it seems society is more concerned about the physical and moral issues behind it. Same sex partners are trying to seek the same benefits as heterosexual couples. By keeping the DOMA in effect in all states, same sex partners will be
Same-sex marriage should be marriage because everyone is equal, love is always right, and people have a right to choose their own soulmates. First, equality is a basic right, which means everyone should get the same treatment. The restriction against same-sex marriage is an offense to the dignity of lesbians and gays, because it limits the range of relationship options open to them (Mello). The limit of same-sex marriage is against homosexuals to enjoy the same right as heterosexuals. It is not fair for homosexual to get the different treatment. There is a law to declare that legalizing homosexual marriage is to achieve the basis of equality come true. (Albertson).
Proponents of gay marriage contends that gay marriage bans are discriminatory and unconstitutional, and that same-sex marriages should have access to all the benefits enjoyed by different sex couples.
Those that are oppose same sex marriage focus their reasoning on religious beliefs. Same sex couples do not want to be treated as second class citizens, they do not focus on what religion states; they just want to be treated as equal as heterosexuals when it comes to their right. Same sex couples believe if one is to bar any class of people from marrying whomever they choose, it then deprives them of their social institution; that many feel defines the most meaningful part of life, to marry someone one loves. Same sex couples believe that their relationships are no different than that of a heterosexual marriage. Same sex couples can have maintain a home together, provide an environment that children can thrive in and care for each other the same as heterosexual married couples do (Goldberg-Hiller, 2002).
Some on the opposing side would say that there are long-term and immediate effect that can happen just from legalizing same sex marriage. Some of these reason are taxpayer subsidies to homosexuals, teaching of homosexual values in public schools as well as private schools, threats to religious institutions are challenged not to discriminate against gays, fewer people would possibly get married, fewer
Same-sex marriages have been very controversial since becoming an issue in Canada regarding the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Several people state that same-sex marriages should be legal, while others disagree, saying it should not be permitted. There have been many debates and inquiries about this issue for several years; the MP’s and Parliament will finally settle the problem within the next year or so. Many are in favour of legalizing same-sex marriages in all of Canada due to the violations and infringes upon the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Problems revolving around same-sex marriages have upset many religious groups. These groups believe that same-sex
Gay marriage should be legal because as woman and man, all individuals have the same right in society; because same-sex couples can constitute a good based family; because it is just a way to make official a common union nowadays, even with the religious issue; because it is not related to polygamy; and because love matters and it does not differ in nature according to the sex of its object or the person who experiences it.
As we know, same-sex marriage has been discussed and argued for a long time. Within the controversial topic of gay rights, there’s no area more controversial than same-sex marriage. And all of us ask ourselves if same-sex marriage should be legal or not. But the fact is that we have to start thinking about it as a moral and religious topic. The government shouldn’t legalize the same-sex marriage because the
As the society changing, the history of marriage also changes. Marriage is legally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship, but do those two partners always have to be a man and a woman? Most people believe that homosexuals should be granted equal rights as heterosexual couples. Being as an important social issue, same-sex marriage has become a hot topic of public debates in the recent years. For over the past decade, public support for the same-sex marriage has quickly risen. The United States is one of over twenty countries that allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. I believe that same-sex marriage should be legalized in all countries for several reasons, such as being an issue of equal rights, separation of church and state, no negative effect on the heterosexual communities, increasing in child adoption, and decreasing divorce and suicide rates.
Gay marriages should be banned because God did not intend women to sleep with each other, nor men with men. It is a major sin. Plus, children should not be taught that same sex relationships are permitted. The effects on young children being subjected to gay marriages is the major
Allowing same-sex marriages would change the basic definition of marriage. Marriage is an important commitment of a man and a woman who contribute to civilization. Therefore, the loss of contributions due to someone’s sexual orientation should not be rewarded with a privilege such as marriage. Same-sex marriages affect many factors such as children, the concept of marriage, and humanity. However, it is not a misdemeanor to love somebody of the same gender but it can rigorously damage many aspects of life.
The same-sex marriage issue has ignited worldwide. Joseph Chamie- the previous director- and Barry Mirkin-the previous Population Policy Section Chief- of the UN’s Population Division aim to present up-to-date statistics and information on the same-sex marriage debate in “Same-Sex Marriage: A New Social Phenomenon.” They mention that same-sex marriage is a “recent phenomenon” that will possibly stick around for years in many countries because societal, religious, and legislative controversies continually revamp its debate (544). The issue is labeled “recent” because “…SSM [same-sex marriage] did not exist until the twenty-first century when an increasing number of countries began permitting same-sex
Marriage is the formal relationship between a man and a woman, usually recognized by the law, by which they become husband and wife. In terms of legal recognition and acknowledgement, the majority of states, authorities, and jurisdiction limit marriage to opposite sex couples or two persons of opposite gender. Same sex marriage would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage. When discussing same sex marriage, the true meaning and definition of marriage is the topic that often comes up, which is why it is very significant to remember the true importance of marriage. I strongly believe that same sex marriage should not be legalized because it would harm many individuals. If same sex marriage is legalized, the birth rates would decrease, fewer children would be raised by an opposite married parents, and medical insurance costs/charges would rise.