...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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...disallowance of it violates their constitutional rights. Marriage is an institution long recognized by our government under the right to pursue happiness, and denying that right to any couple, regardless of gender, is unconstitutional. This argument, though, is not disputed. In fact, none of the arguments raised in opposition to the allowance of homosexual marriages takes into account the constitutional rights afforded to all humans. The arguments are only in relation to the possible repercussions (real or imagined) of granting these rights. Our nation was built and has always been based on the fundamental principles of freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence and through our Constitution. The opponents of homosexual marriage need to remember what freedom means to America, and understand the significance of setting a precedent that denies that freedom. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the institution of marriage is one of the rights guaranteed to all Americans by our Constitution. Banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory. Marriage is a basic human right and should not be denied to any individual. At various times in U.S. history, other minorities have been prevented from marrying: African-Americans, for example. Interracial marriage was also legally prohibited in various states, until the Supreme Court ruled such bans unconstitutional in 1967 ("Should Gay" 31). At this time, however, marriage is only granted to heterosexual couples. Although homosexuals...
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...believe that marriage is between a man and woman, when in reality, marriage can be different from the stereotypical heterosexual marriage. Western culture devalues those who do not follow the stereotypical roles of a male and female or participate in same-sex marriage. Society becomes open-minded as minority couples fight for equal rights. The article “How today’s marriage equality win is also about gender equality” by Irin Carmon supports Nancy Cott’s chapter, “Marriage Revised and Revived”, by discussing the increase in marriage equality, which in turn leads to freedom and acceptance in society. It is evident that there is inequality between a husband and wife, but as society transitions to a more accepting...
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...Traditional Chinese Cultural Review - Draft Traditional Chinese culture must be viewed through the lens of cultural relativism to avoid misunderstandings which would ultimately transpire into ethnographic separatist’s ideals. Marriage, kinship, and family, encased by Confucius ideology, trademarks traditional Chinese culture and its patriarchal society as both intriguing and fascinating. The complexity to understanding marriage in the agrarian-state society of traditional Chinese culture is interpreting the cultural context as it relates to Confucianism, social hierarchy, family lineage, economic status, a division of labor and gender stratification. Agrarian-State Society An agrarian society is one whose socio-economics is based on the cultivation...
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...same-sex marriage is both politically and socially polarizing because it is so often closely tied to deeply-held personal convictions, beliefs, and principles” (Dolan, P. 2013). Everyone knows same sex marriage is a big issue that we all have opinion against. It ties into belief, culture, race, and confusion. Everyone wants love but is same sex consider love? Only people that’s gay, lesbian, transsexual, and bisexual can explain why they choose to go in that path. So what do we have to say about the people that take part in the reunite of the marriage? Do we have the right to judge people? “Same-sex marriage promises to be one of the defining issues of the twenty-first century” (Dolan, P. 2013). “While supporters of same-sex marriage have welcomed a shift in the public's perception and increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage in the last decade, controversy remains over how to balance the competing rights between marriage equality and religious freedom” (Dolan, P. 2013). “While most same-sex marriage statutes around the country include religious exemptions for religious officials, it is unclear how, or whether, these protections should extend to wedding service providers who have a religious objection to same-sex marriage” (Dolan, P. 2013). “Conflicts between same-sex couples seeking wedding services and wedding service providers who have religious objections to same-sex marriage are inevitable, and despite the relatively recent legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington...
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...Name Professor English1301 22, October 2013 Gay Marriage Gay marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of today's society. Similarly, this leads to the discussion of homosexuals having the right to marry in society. Ultimately, conflict from the opposing position of ‘against’ gay marriage may arise that gay marriage can destroy the concept of marriage and mock the importance of procreation as presented in Charles Colson's "Gay Marriage: Societal Suicide". In Katha Pollitt's "What's Wrong with Gay Marriage?", she appeals to the readers logic to convince them that gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples when it comes to marriage, while Charles Colson also uses logic to emphasize his argument, though it is not as strong as Pollitt's. Marriage has been justified as a religious and legal commitment between man and woman, through the expression of love. Specifically, in relation to origins of marriage as it is the traditional building block of human society, further steps should not be taken to define the term marriage as it is already set in framework that it is known to be kept as man and woman. This concept of man and woman reiterates through the concept of how gay marriage could affect families and children that are involved within homosexual relationships. Firstly, in relation to the idea of forming a family with homosexual parents becomes unnatural as homosexual parenting represents an attempt to disrupt that ‘natural’...
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...Views on Same Sex Marriage Professor Jenson ENGL 135 9/30/14 The same argument has been going on since before Proposition 8 was first introduced to the people. Should people of the same-sex be allowed to right to have a marriage recognized by the courts? After being introduced to the people during the electoral year it was finally voted on in November and did not pass due to insufficient votes for the bill. The people who voted against the bill were those who feared the change of what would be a ‘traditional family’ and many Christian’s who refused to change their view on marriage. Not because they do not like homosexuals or think they are less of a human than everyone else but because it violates one of their core beliefs in their religion. This is why the United States people overturned it, because Christianity is predominant in this country with views on sex that have stayed consistent for the past 2,000 years. The problem here is that those who are constantly fighting for the legalization of same-sex marriage do not understand the consequences of their actions that is felt to the religious community. Although there is no solution that would keep both party’s happy the one reasonable solution would be to allow a union between those of the same sex but refrain from calling it a marriage due to the religious beliefs behind what a marriage stands for. Many people like to argue that Christian’s change their views on their religion depending on the issue at hand. That...
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...If the United States government were to single out the entire metropolitan population of Chicago and deny them equal rights, the entire world would be in outrage. If affordable health care was offered to all French citizens but withheld from anyone choosing to call Paris home, riots would ensue. If residents of both Toronto and Philadelphia were forced to live their lives according to religious beliefs that may or may not be factual and were written approximately 2,500 years ago, an uprising would surely come about. If nine million people here in our very own country were told that they were not worthy of being wed today because of the verbiage within a document that was written by wealthy white men in the late 18th Century, what would we do? In the United States alone, it is estimated that nearly nine million people consider themselves gay or lesbian--equivalent to the populations in the above mentioned scenarios (Gates, 2011). So why is it that nearly fifty years after the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, the gay and lesbian community is bearing the brunt of such inequality? In the 1930’s, approximately the same number of Jews in Europe were targeted as an inferior class and we are all well-aware of the atrocities that resulted shortly thereafter (Jewish Virtual Library, 1997). While comparing the Holocaust to the rights of the gay and lesbian community in America is undoubtedly a stretch, it should at least open one’s eyes to the wide-spread nature of the injustice...
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...words “I do!” In America there is a growing population that is not granted the right to walk down the aisle or have their relationship legally recognized. Regardless of sexual orientation, everyone is entitled to the same rights. Yet in most states, the estimated 3.1 million same-sex couples in this country (Bernstein, 247) cannot legally marry. The controversial topic of legalizing same-sex marriages is not a matter of heterosexual versus homosexual; it’s a matter of the laws of our nation not providing equality. As a straight Christian female, I object to homosexuality but I don’t pass my judgment on to others. More importantly, as a citizen, I know, religious beliefs Christian or any other have no weight in arguments regarding the laws of this democracy. I am outraged by this injustice in America and it’s seems to me that same sex marriages should by all means be legal. This is considered bureaucratic power. Bureaucratic power is a system of government in which most of the decisions are by state rather than elected officials. There are so many reasons why gay (or lesbian) marriages should be legal in the United States. First, look at the document on which this country was founded on, the Declaration of Independence, which states “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, which among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It’s clear to see, this document’s...
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...Recognition of gay and lesbian marriage and pluralism Word Count: 2024 What does pluralism reveal about the recognition of gay and lesbian marriage? What are the strengths and limitations of this theory in understanding the recognition of gay and lesbian marriage? Power overlaps between interest and political groups and as a result, political decision-making is reached through negotiation and compromise (Manley 1983). Indeed, when examining the progressive debate concerning the legal recognition of same-sex relationships in Australia, the perception that power is bartered through interest groups becomes highly plausible through the lens of classical pluralist theory. There are competing visions of diversity in Australia, and behind the main positions; supportive, neutral, and opposing, there are a multitude of perspectives underlying these umbrella groupings. For some in the community, the concept of gay and lesbian marriage is controversial, and its complexities raise fundamental social, religious, moral and political questions. In analyzing how power has operated in this situation, I will apply classical pluralism to converse sides of the moral argument to reveal how Australian attitudes have changed over time in a progressively consensual political environment. For this issue, the strengths of pluralism lie in its empirical nature; it is an observable and comprehensive view of understanding how power operates in society, with regard to a multitude of perspectives and...
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...Introduction · Homosexual Marriages Should Have the Same Rights as Heterosexual Marriages. · Comparisons to Other Countries · Europe · Africa · Background · First Argument with Gay Marriage · Changes in the Ability to Get Married · Hate Crimes · Identification of Policy Alternatives · Legalizing Gay Marriage Amongst All States · Legalizing Gay Marriage Amongst All States, but Naming it “Civil Unions” · Legalizing Gay Marriage/Civil Unions Against Some States, Recognizing it in All · Recommendation · References INTRODUCTION: Same Sex Marriages Having Same Rights as Heterosexual Marriages Gay marriage has been an active debate amongst politicians, religious figures, and the public. The debate has spanned over a decade with little change for either side. The issue of gay marriage is not just about the name of what the union is called, but the right to be able to legally join as homosexual couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples. Reasons for someone to be in favor of this topic are that there should be a separation of religion and politics, it deprives homosexuals of their natural rights, and this issue has escalated to violent hate crimes towards homosexuals. As it stands, currently 9 million adults are homosexuals, representing 4 percent of the 18 and over population in the United States with no signs of diminishing. Public administrators have done little in regards to helping ease the situation...
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...POL210: Final Project Gay Marriage Abstract Gay marriage has many viewpoints both for and against. These viewpoints are from religious organizations as well as studies that have provided statistics regarding gay marriage. There are many articles that are used for research that disprove many of the theories that religious organizations use to defend the opposition of gay marriage. Religious based bias against gay marriage comes from beliefs and a person’s moral make up. Gay marriage has been legalized in places like Massachusetts for over eleven years. There has been little to no impact on gay marriage. Studies show that gay marriage is actually a benefit rather than a disadvantage to the general population. An analysis of those for or against gay marriage show that arguments that are solely based on religion can be disproved by actual studies that have been conducted rather than religious rhetoric. There are five basic arguments against gay marriage. They are: 1. It would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage. 2. It would further weaken the traditional family values essential to our society. 3. It could provide a slippery slope in the legality of marriage (e.g. having multiple wives or marrying an animal could be next). 4. It confuses children about gender roles and expectations of society, and only a man & woman can pro-create. 5. The gay lifestyle is not something to be encouraged, as a lot of research shows it leads to...
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...ESSAY - 2 Final Assignment- Essay (Question 3) Intro to Children's Lit (S2)(F13) DATE: 2013,Nov 26 Submitted by:- Prithish Poojari - 4234386 Submitted to:- Priti Sharma Traditional marriages V/s Nuclear Marriages There are lots of commonalities among conventional relationship as well as exact same sexual relationship, however the way they tend to be seen as well as handled are extremely various. The only real distinction between two is the fact that exact same sexual relationship is actually among a couple of the identical sex. Dedication as well as intention from the relationship is totally exactly the same. Whenever a couple is actually wedded they have got specific legal rights which are provided which without having this particular agreement partners tend to be rejected. Without having to be lawfully married essential things for example health advantages, healthcare choices, medical center visitation legal rights, regulations, as well as kid custodianship tend to be withheld or even created more challenging. A distinct advantage is the fact married couple may have the right to visit directly to healthcare choices as well as medical center appointments. In case a male's spouse gets sick and it is accepted towards the medical center, they have the justification to choose the girl destiny in case she actually is disabled. They have the justification to check out the girl within the ICU, remain through the girl part the entire medical center...
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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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...country where we follow very strict and conservative norms and values. Brought up in such a country it interests me to see the freedom of sexual orientation being practiced because I have always seen and taught there is only one sexual orientation which is being attracted to other gender. There is certainly no chance or explanation that justices anyone sexual orientation and sexual fascination for same gender. Somewhat being the strictness of our religion and strict teachings we follow from our Holy Book. It is based on a vulgar action that even goes against evolution providing religious ground to state it wrong. • Gay marriage is anti-evolution and completely against nature. • All major religions of the world are opposed to it. • Gay sex is a form of idolatry where people worship each other. The mankind should not be endorsing these actions. • Gay marriage exposes us to even more risqué and improper behavior which does nothing for mankind. • As a future society, we will look back on the witch hunt that was used against religious institutions to support this cause and be filled with shame. It is astonishing yet new to me to see how across the globe people have completely different beliefs and view about the same topic. It’s unconditionally...
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