The Myth Of Co-Sex Marriage In Andrew Sullivan's For Gay Marriage

With gay marriage becoming an increasingly popular discussion topic there exist constant feuding between which is right or not. We must think through it logically and ask ourselves: how does a homosexual couple not constitute as much of a family as a heterosexual couple? Gay marriage in American culture but more closely religious culture is primarily not accepted but in Evan Wolfson’s “What is Marriage”, what really constitutes a marriage these days

Recently, people have been arguing with respect to the definition of marriage. To get married is a very important event for almost everyone. Particularly for women, marriage and giving a birth could be the two major events of their lives. Andrew Sullivan and William Bennett are authors who are arguing about homosexual marriage. Sullivan believes in same-sex marriage because he thinks everyone has a right to marry. On the other hand, Bennett speaks out against Sullivan’s opinion. Bennett makes a claim that marriage is between a man and a woman structuring their entire life together. Both authors’ opinions differ on same-sex marriage. Nevertheless, their ideas are well recognized.

One of the author’s main reasons to support his view is that legalization of gay marriage can combat the promiscuous dating and hook-up culture we see so much of in today’s society. By legalizing gay marriage, people who identify as homosexual can actually strive for a monogamous marriage and a healthy family. Sullivan also argues that legalizing gay marriage places more responsibilities on gay individuals, as the spousal title can contribute to more gay people being held to the same standards as straight people, whether it is in culture or in the legal system. Legalization of marriage can

After consciously reading both pieces of writing, “Why Gay Marriage is Good for Straight America” by Andrew Sullivan and Family Values by Richard Rodriguez, the first author has more compelling language than Rodriguez, which helps people fully understand the different processes of being accepted.

Andrew Sullivan is the author of an article “Why Gay Marriage is Good for Straight America.” He is an experienced publicist, and he is homosexual. Sullivan argues that every person has the right to get married disregarding his or her orientation. Richard Rodriguez who is also a famous publicist composed “Family Values.” Like Sullivan, he is homosexual and he discusses it in his work. Rodriguez and Sullivan share many viewpoints related to homosexuality, but they disagree about the appropriateness of homosexual marriage – Sullivan is for it, and Rodriguez views it as an imitation of heterosexuality.

For the past 3 decades the views surrounding marriage has undergone a great deal of change (Lennox, 2015, p. 1101). This shift is due to the continual discussion of gay marriage. The interplay of religion and politics has led for much controversy. In the United States, the use of Christian and Jewish biblical texts are the main sources drawn upon for opposition, but have also been used as a supportive means of equality. Beyond the religious there are also psychological and physical health arguments, as well as civil rights arguments. Same sex marriage is examined through different paradigms, thus giving rise to religious, political/legal, and religious arguments surrounding the legalization of this institution for gay and lesbian couples.

Arguments for gay and lesbian families is a concern for the sanctity of marriage is often accompanied by a discomfort with the idea of gay and lesbian families, based on misinformation about the quality of those relationships and their impact on children (Kimmel 184). Arguments that support gay and lesbian families are mainly focused on having the same equal rights as heterosexuals. Many gay and lesbian couples want to get married because of the benefits they acquire such as the right to inherit from a spouse who dies without a will, the right to consult with doctors and make crucial decisions (Kimmel 184). A meta analysis of social studies of gay and lesbian parenting suggests that children are more accepting of homosexuality and maybe more likely to indicate a willingness to consider homosexual relationships themselves (Kimmel 186). Another great example is daughters of lesbian and gay parents are more assertive, confident, and ambitious, and sons are less conforming to traditional masculine aggression and domination and have a better understanding of their gender identity (Kimmel

Over the years, the issue of family values has evolved from the conservative view of distinct gender roles to the prevailing situation where men and women have equal rights. The most notable change from the traditional to the modern values of the family has been the issue of gay marriages. Whereas it was a taboo for gay couples to declare their relationship status openly in public, today the situation is different as is evident with the two texts under discussions. The story titled An American Childhood by Annie Dillard depicts gender roles in the 1950s America while the article by Andrew Sullivan titled “Why Gay Marriages are Good for Straight America” expounds on the issue of gay rights and freedom of modern day America.

Debates about gay marriage continue to simmer within American public discourse, though much of the more heated rhetoric has calmed since the earliest efforts to legalize same-sex marriage succeeded in numerous states. These debates have spanned many topics, ranging from religion to politics and beyond. Andrew Sullivan, a prominent gay and self-described conservative political commentator, addressed one angle of the issue in his July 19, 2011 Newsweek Magazine article “Why Gay Marriage is Good for America.” Through a mixture of personal reflection, social commentary, and political argumentation, Sullivan’s article is less a defense of gay marriage than it is a defense of the idea that gay marriage is compatible with conservative political values. Although Sullivan makes a good case for his position in the article, his argument is ultimately under-developed; the lengthy personal reflections serve to reinforce a relatively minor point in the context of the larger argument, shifting focus away from the more relevant portions of the argument.

In his essay, “Let Gays Marry,” Andrew Sullivan advocates gay marriage. He argues that gay couples ought to be able to marry because as citizens, they deserve equal rights. He claims that disallowing gays to marry each other would make them strangers in their own country. However, his argument is invalid as it seeks to impose the broad definition of equality on the narrower, but unrelated issue of marriage. Just because gays have equal rights as citizens, doesn’t mean they have the right to marry each other, because homosexual marriage cannot fulfill the biological, sociological, or civil aims of marriage.

The two texts examined within, present the opposing extremes of views regarding gay and lesbian marriage. The first text entitled Let Gays Marry by Andrew Sullivan examines the intricacies of same sex relationships and why homosexual couples should be allowed to publicly show affection for one another. The second text that will be examined is titled Leave Marriage Alone written by William Bennett. Bennett gives his views on why couples of same sex nature should not be allowed to engage in marital relations. These two authors, although very different, each has a view of the ideals of marriage, and how it should be presented to the public.

The proposed legalization of same-sex marriage is one of the most significant issues in contemporary American family law. As a heavily campaigned development currently discussed in law assessment; these extremely confrontational and debatable political questions are facing present day American courts. If same-sex marriage is legalized, its affect on the parents, children, same sex couples, families, and the social and political world will be astronomical. The arguments surrounding the issue though confrontational nonetheless are easily seen from a wide array of perspectives. One of the perspectives states that marriage is a promise to a spouse to stay loyal and faithful in all

One of the most controversial issues around today is gay marriages. Many believe that the media is primly responsible for the idea of same-sex marriages, but when it all comes down to it there are really only two sides; those who support gay marriages, and those who oppose them. Two authors write their opinions on their opposite views on this issue. Sullivan (2002) supports same-sex marriages and believes marriage to be a universal right, not just restricted to heterosexuals. Contrary to Sullivan, Bennett (2002) believes that marriage is a sacred traditional family value that should be set aside for heterosexual couples. (2002)Throughout this essay, I will summarize both authors’ ideas and evaluate them through their evidence and

on the subject of gay marriage. A sensitive topic to many that is being fought in courts, out in the streets, and even on the internet. The traditional marriage between two people who want to be together seems to be transitioning into a more modern era of acceptance and change. Recent studies have shown the increase of people coming to accept gay marriage as something “normal.” Two people of the same gender coming together in union because they love each other, is not such a bad thought. The definition for marriage is: “the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship.” It is rather self explanatory, two people forming a bond come together in a union of support, trust, and love. Though, not everyone marries because they love one another. Sometimes they marry for financial reasons, self and family gain, arranged, or even just because they feel like it; in other words the definition is not entirely correct. Gay marriage is not something to be condemned but something to help both the economy and other people.

Social conservatives blame divorce, cohabitation, illegitimacy, and the demise of the traditional family for society's ills, from poverty, crime, and juvenile delinquency to the moral decay and destruction of the American way of life. In the 1970s, marriage was at its lowest but by the late 1990s there was a reappearance of marriage, seen in the leveling off of the divorce rate. Although the claims for the value of marriage by conservatives and gay-rights proponents "were from two ends of the spectrum, they came together — at least at the rhetorical level — for what marriage...accomplishes and how crucial it is as a social institution." (Gallagher, 2002)