...Gay Wedded Bliss Erica Pickering SOC 120 David Strand June 24, 2013 I chose the topic Gay Marriage, and I chose this one, because I have such a strong view and opinion on this topic. I wish that one day we could all live in a world where everyone is accepted, no matter who that love, that is my idea of a perfect world, that and no violence. Gay Marriage I know though will never be 100% accepted everywhere, and it does not have to be, everyone has the right to their own opinion and freedom of speech. I am completely for Gay Marriage, I do not see an issue at all, but I know others feel differently. I feel that the gay community should get the same treatment and same benefits we do with marriage. My opinion on this issue has always been the same as long as I can remember. I have never had a problem with gays, nor will I ever; I just view them as people. I wish everyone could have the same views, I think this world would be a better and more comfortable place. I know gays are viewed as different, and outcasts but I know I would not want to feel that way. I follow the golden rule, treat others as you would want to be treated and do unto others and you would wish them to do to you. I have never had anyone close in my family that was gay, but I have had friends that I knew were gay, and they were honestly no different than my straight friends. They treated me the same, treated their families and other friends the same, nothing different. I had this girl, who used to be...
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...Gay Marriage In the article “The Worst Thing About Gay Marriage- It isn’t going to work”, the author provided four aspects of marriage that explained why he believed that gay marriage is wrong (SCHULMAN, 2009). The first is the most important: It is that marriage is concerned above all with female sexuality Second, kinship modifies marriage by imposing a set of rules that determines not only whom one may marry (someone from the right clan or family, of the right age, with proper abilities, wealth, or an adjoining vineyard), but, more important, whom one may not marry Third, marriage changes the nature of sexual relations between a man and a woman. Fourth, marriage defines the end of childhood, sets a boundary between generations within the same family and between families, and establishes the rules in any given society for crossing those boundaries. The arguments this author made did not have any logical reasoning behind it. Most of the reasons that he stated were old and antiquated based on how life was lived during times that we are no longer in. Even then I am sure only a handful of people thought this way. Specifically, he mentions that gay marriage is wrong because how it affects female sexuality. It states that females are not protected unless they are involved in a kinship that only family or heterosexual couples can enter into according to the author. According to the definition of kinship, it states “relationship...
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...Gay Marriage debate Recently, gay marriage has become an issue of great concern all over the world. The question whether this marriage should be legalized has continued to raise heated-up debates in all social, religious and political arenas. The matter was has come into fresh discussion after the president of The United states of America passed a motion that allows gay marriage in the country. The following is an analysis of a debate that was held to discuss whether gay marriage should be legalized. Arguments supporting legalization of gay marriages If two people are in love, regardless of whether they are both male, both female, or of the opposite sex, it should be no one else’s business. The decision as to whether they are committing their lives to living together lies on them, and should not be jeopardized by the opinions, believes and feelings of others. They have a right to get married- if they so wish, as marriage is a personal decision, and one chooses the life he wants to live, as long as he/she does not compel others to follow that way, and as long as as the decision does not violate or endanger the rights of others (gaymarriage.procon.org). When same sex couples, such as gay couples, are denied the right to get into marriage, it sends the notion that it is acceptable to discriminate against gay people. It depicts such people as social and moral misfits, and thus exposes them to unfair treatment by the members of the society. As much as one may argue that the authorities...
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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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...Gay Marriages Priscilla Reyes Sociology 120: Introduction to Ethics & Sociology Kathleen Miller March 10, 2013 Gay marriages, I don’t believe in gay marriages only in marriages between a man and woman. I know that a lot of gays or lesbians are trying to get the Supreme Court to approve same sex marriage. In California, the Supreme Court is trying to get same sex marriages ban nationwide. The gay and lesbian are using the law to have the same sex marriages pass and there have been about 3 states like Maine, Maryland, and Washington that have passed the same sex marriage. In other states like Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and New Jersey are against the same sex marriage. I don’t think that it should change what marriage is referring to between two men or two women; it is based on a man and woman marrying in holy matrimony. This is stated in the Bible and thru the standard government law and constitution. The government shouldn’t change the law of the constitution or the bill of rights because of same sex marriages. The gays and lesbians want the same rights as a man and a woman do when they get married, for instance if the significant other happens to pass away the significant other would inherited what their significant other left behind. It is not the same when a man inherited his wife life insurance policy or the wife inherits her husband’s life insurance. Marriage should only be between a man and a woman not two men or two women getting...
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...Gay Marriage: What’s the Problem??? “Homosexuality is not normal and should not be established as an acceptable ‘alternative’ lifestyle,’” Blount wrote. “A day is fast approaching when North Carolina will have to deal with the issue of same sex marriage.” This phrase is written across dozens of newspapers, journals, and websites. All you have to do is simply go to yahoo, type in gay marriage in North Carolina and thousands of results come up. Now you may think at first that most of these websites or links may just be talking about the approaching topic, but you would be baffled by what you actually do find. In my case the first time I searched the topic of gay marriage in this state, I was at a loss for words when the first 500 results were all against gay marriage. Such titles as “support traditional marriage” and “nogaymarriage.com” where some of the first I saw. You would have to rummage around through thousands of results before finding one moderate website that could actually tell you what was going on without putting in their own input. Gay marriage, in my opinion should be allowed. There is no strong reason for why homosexuals cannot be married. People should drop all of the political jargon and realize how they would feel if someone told them they could not marry the person they loved just because they were heterosexual. It’s easier to understand once the shoe is one the other foot. One argument heard is that same sex marriages will take away from the founding...
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...Gay Marriage Issue Gay marriage is one of the leading political topics in the United States today. The problem is whether or not people should support gay marriage. First of all, marriage is the agreement between two people to stay together, being soul mates and commitment to have responsibility to each other. For this reason, it is difficult to identify if homosexual marriage is legal or illegal. It is confused because the marrying of two people of same sex is going against the tradition. Every species has two genders, and “love” or “couple” is always defined as special feeling between male and female. As a result, gay marriage could not be accepted. With the issue of gay marriage, lines get blurred and religion rears its head to influence a government’s decision of who shall be married and who will be refused. In fact, marriage is changing over time with the tolerance of the society, which makes gay marriage is now more acceptable than before. Gay marriage is a socially recognized marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Besides, according to Andrew Sullivan, “marriage is not simply a private contract; it is a social and public reorganization of a private commitment. As such, it is the highest public recognition of personal integrity. Denying it to homosexuals is the most public affront possible to their public equality.” Many heterosexuals might not accept this point of view. Also, there are religious reasons for opposing this idea...
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...Gay marriage will strengthen family values by allowing millions of gay people the opportunity to reinforce their bonds in the same way that heterosexuals do. Same sex couples that get married are more likely to buy homes, which strengthens the economy. Same sex couples that buy homes are more likely to stay in them longer than people who rent. They're more likely to spend money on improvements. They would also be more likely to adopt one or more of the huge number of unwanted children brought into the world by straight people, for various reasons that children ended up in foster care. Married gay people would create strong positive role models for the next generations of gay children. The outlook of same sex marriage in society, and the proof being demonstrated, that the world will continue to spin on its axis. Even if gay people get married. It would help the conservative and religious right wing to see that gay people are just like everybody else, which would hopefully spare their children who happen to be gay the pain of their parents, assuming that being gay is a sin or mental illness. Pros of Same Sex Married 1. If the newlywed resides in the United States then will get to experience the advantages, which the government offers to married couples. These benefits take account of nursing home, social security as well as health care. 2. Another significant advantage of getting married is the reason that you can have kids and have similar assistance, responsibilities...
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...Sample Final Exam Essay: Legalize Gay Marriage English—Mr. Fichter (This sample essay is based upon a student-written essay from last year. The student author is anonymous.) Homosexuality is everywhere. You can see it in books, on television, in the media; it is rapidly becoming a social norm. Given this trend of greater acceptance of gay marriage, the issue of whether to legalize same-sex marriage naturally arises. Massachusetts has led the way by legalizing gay marriage. Responding to this example, some states have taken steps towards accepting gay marriage while others are considering laws and constitutional amendments banning gay marriage within state borders. President George Bush has recently proposed a ban on gay marriage in the U.S. Constitution (Hulse). If Americans carefully examine the situation, however, they should all be able to understand the importance of making same-sex marriage legal in the United States. Those opposing same-sex marriage claim that by allowing this act, marriages everywhere will lose their honor and validity (Kurtz). Marriages between a man and a woman would lose their special importance, these opponents argue, if the definition of marriage is expanded to include same-sex couples as well. The test of time has proven this fear pointless. For several years, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands have allowed gay marriage without any signs of damage to heterosexual couples. Social life in these countries continues unchanged, and...
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...Gay Marriage Gay marriage has become a big topic for the last twenty years. When it comes to gay marriage, I am not with or against, but more neutral about it. I come from a catholic family and I’ve attend church most of my life. As long as people are happy, then it shouldn’t matter how they want to live their lives. Gay marriage has been accepted in some countries and others are fallowing. There is absolutely no part of history which determines whether gay marriage should be allowed or not. There is totally no official, rational, or principal reason that gay couples cannot marry and it's very undemocratic in all ways to tell. Gay marriage should be authorized for a some reasons, a few being, it does not make any difference if two men or two women want to get married, not allowing them to wed makes them feel inferior and also violates human rights. No one likes feeling low-grade, or like they a less standards, by making gay marriage prohibited you make couples who are involved with the same sex feel lesser to others. Homosexuality is not a cognizant choice; it's something in- born. Just as you did not choose who you love, neither did they. So it is unfair to make gay marriage seem awkward when it is no dissimilar. Human rights are an issue people have tried hard to uphold over the years, banning slave trade and enforcing women rights. Homosexual groups are not supposed to be different. They need to have their human rights respected, just like women are allowed...
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... “What is gay marriage?” Bronner, E. (2012, June 23). Gay marriage gains backer as major foe revises views. The New York Times, pp. 9A. Ethan Bronner exhibits the change of mind of David Blankenhorn, a national figure in the movement against same-sex marriage, about his opposition towards gay marriage and the reactions he received due to that switched thought. Bronner wrote, “I opposed gay marriage believing that children have the right, insofar as society makes it possible, to know and to be cared for by the two parents who brought them into this world,'' referring to Blankenhorn old thoughts where he added to his idea, “Whatever one's definition of marriage, legally recognizing gay and lesbian couples and their children is a victory for basic fairness.'' This meaning that he changed his ideology for the civil rights’ sake of equality. Bronner follows by expressing the response of Rev. Jim Garlow, senior pastor, who contradicts Blankenhorn new opinion along with Peter S. Sprigg. This article contributes demonstrates the power of an open mind. It shows how a person who had a straight definition of what he thought marriage was changed that interpretation with the help of many outside factors. Kottak, C. P. (2012). Mirror for humanity: A concise introduction to cultural anthropology (8th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Companies. Conrad Phillip Kottak explains what marriage is in the point of view of anthropologists...
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...GAY MARRIAGE 1 Gay Marriage In The United States By: Michael White SOC. 120 PJ Rosch April 2, 2012 GAY MARRIAGE 2 America is a place where a person man or woman can be whoever they want to be. America is the only place in the world where freedom reigns everywhere in the country. But, Why is it that two men or women who love each other can not get married?. Here and now people in LGBT community are fighting for equality. They want the same right as people who are considered to be regular americans to get married. Opposing forces such as certain religous groups, and several other organizations are fighting to stop this from happening. There is an easy solution to the problem why not let people be. If America is truly a land of freedom and expression then why is same sex marriage is prohibited. HISTORY Gay Marriage is something that has been going on for centuries all around the world. Same sex marriage existed in places such as China dated as far back as the Ming Dynasty. The relationships consisted of men and women mostly women who entered into contracts with younger men and women in a fancy ceremony. These ceremonies are similar to the modern day wedding between a male and female. The first recorded gay marriage occured during the Roman Empire. This marriage was between an Emperor by the name of Elagabus and slave named Hierocles. This marriage still was not fair because in the eyes of the Roman Law, the slave Hierocles was noted as a female. Various Cultures...
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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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...Since President Obama recently made a public statement announcing he supports gay marriage, it may not too far away for Legalising gay marriage. What positive effects can it bring to our society? First of all, the impact on gay marriage and their families has been positive and profound. A range of studies have shown that marriage leads to improved mental and physical health, findings cited the American Psychological Association when it endorsed marriage equality in August last year. We found that over 70 per cent of married same-sex couples felt marriage had increased the level of commitment in their relationship. The same percentage of same-sex partners felt more accepted and legitimised within their broader families and communities, with a common response being that being married made it easier for other people to understand and affirm their relationship. Secondly, It can reduce the suicide rate when we accept the same-sex marriage. For a number of years, researchers have known that one-third of all teenagers who commit suicide are gay. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services puts the annual rate of suicide in the U.S. at between 35,000 and 40,000 per year, among of them, 20% of sucide come from lesbian, gay and bisexual. Sadly, it is predictable that gay kill themselves more often than other people simply because their life chances are so limited by social and legal discrimination. Only when this discrimination is eliminated will these shocking...
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...openly as a sign of commitment to each other. Marriage is a very symbolic gesture, and to take that privilege away from two people who are in love is a serious problem. We love who we want. You can’t change who you fall in love with. Opponents argue that is against their religion—marriage should be between a man and a woman so that they can pro-create. However, Evan Wolfson, from a gay-advocacy group called Freedom to Marry, argues that “every religion can decide for itself whether to perform or honor any marriage…but no religion should be able to dictate who gets a civil marriage license” (Wolfson). This country was founded and has continued to develop the concept of separation of church and state. It is up to individual religions whether to acknowledge same-sex marriages. However, it is the nation’s responsibility to acknowledge all unions, instead of discriminating couples based on their sex. To infringe upon couples right to civil marriage is a violation of human rights. Gay people, who are in love, have the right to commit to each other and have it legally recognized by the United States government. Banning an issue doesn’t make it go away. The American Constitution said that everyone deserves the same, equal rights that include gay people. So banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Making this issue illegal is also a form of discrimination. Homophobic ridicule and abuse gay citizens, and gay teenagers are scared to go to school because...
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