...Cara Moscatiello Mr. C. Maryland English 132 March 12, 2015 Should gays or lesbians be able to marry each other? Some people may ask what a gay is or what a lesbian is. A gay person is a homosexual that is attracted to their own sex gender. A lesbian is the same as a gay person but it is just two females who are attracted to each other. What is marriage? Recently, people argue with respect to the definition of marriage. What happened to marriage? To get married is a very important event for almost everyone. Especially for women, marriage and giving a birth could be the two biggest events of their lives. Many people believe that getting married to the one whom he or she loves is natural. However, what do you think if you cannot get married to him or her because it is socially unacceptable? Andrew Sullivan and William Bennett are authors who are arguing about the homosexual marriage. Sullivan agrees with the same-sex marriage because everyone has a right to marry. On the other hand, Bennett contradicts Sullivan’s opinion. Bennett makes an assertion that marriage is between a man and a woman building up their entire life together. Both authors’ opinions are totally different. Nevertheless, their ideas are well established. In Sullivan’s essay, he talks about accepting same-sex marriage. If the judge accepted homosexuals as citizens in the Supreme Court, homosexual people would feel free. They do not have to hide and tell a lie anymore. Most people wonder...
Words: 1122 - Pages: 5
...culture has grown accustomed to not so traditional ways. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary marriage is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. Marriage is no longer just about a man and a woman committing themselves to each other for life, it now encompasses, gay and lesbians as well, as they pledge to love, honor, and trust each other all the days of their lives . Today same-sex marriage is one the biggest controversies and it seems like no one could ever come to a common agreement. Personal characteristics such as upbringing, culture, religion, ethnicity all play a major role in determining ones feelings on a given controversial issue. Although gays, just like any other human being have a right to a life of dignity, pursuit of happiness, people against homosexuality term such unions as unnatural. In this essay I will persuade the reader why same-sex marriage should be allowed to get married and what civil unions like LGBT are doing to fight back. One of the most arguments against gay marriage is that if they are legalized, the institution of marriage will lose its significance. Traditionally, we think of marriage as a union between a man and woman recognized by law. However the definition of marriage varies different meanings for different cultures but when defined broadly, marriage is considered a cultural universal. If this is true, then why can’t a person be accepted to...
Words: 1678 - Pages: 7
...Same Sex Marriage This Argumentative essay will discuss about the argument of same sex marriage. The contents are: meaning, brief background and thesis statement for the Introduction; for the Body of the discussion is the counter argument; and for the conclusion part: the summary and the restatement of the thesis statement. Same Sex Marriage also known as gay marriage or equal marriage it is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or gender identity. In the 20th and 21st centuries various types of same-sex unions have come to be legalized. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in eight European countries: Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden; Luxembourg, Finland, France and the United Kingdom are currently in the process of legalization. Politicians in the United Kingdom have expressed their intention to promote legislation to allow same-sex marriage. Other types of recognition for same-sex unions are as of 2012 legal in the following European countries: Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Many people have their own beliefs and reasoning's when it comes to Gay/Lesbian Marriage. God made a man and woman to join hands together and say vows in the right way but however in some states it is a legal to get married with your same sex. So, a man is...
Words: 814 - Pages: 4
...| Gender and Sexuality Essay | ETH 125 | | Codi Pragacz | 11/15/2012 | | Women and members of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) community have had many of the same struggles throughout history. Each group has had rights taken away, progresses in liberations for their individual groups, as well as setbacks for their groups. GLBT people have been noticed as their own group for a shorter amount of time than women groups have but are none the less important. It is generally seen that the gay rights movement that we currently see was started up in the 1980’s because of the emergence of aides and it was an international conclusion that aides was a disease brought about by the homosexual community. The activists involved in defending the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities united to form a stronger front against the discrimination they faced. Traditionally the more masculine men have been seen as a more rough, emotionally disconnected and aggressive image whereas femininity has been viewed more as timid, overly sensitive, submissive, and weak. Throughout history women have taken the necessary steps to fight this image and have become seen as more assertive, independent and ambitious. While conversely today it is more acceptable for men to be more emotionally in tune, more concerned with personal appearance, and more willing to be a partner to rather than in charge of their female counter parts. Of course, there are certain people...
Words: 804 - Pages: 4
...that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Gay marriage has become one of the hottest issues in politics. Supporters of gay marriage have compared their struggle for equality to an era when African- Americans were denied their right to vote, some have even argued that to be denied of your right to marry is also a direct violation of your civil rights. Non supporters of gay marriage beliefs are based more from a religious stand point as well personal values. With homosexuality being seen by a vast majority as being immoral and sinful, the biggest argument to date is that many people feel by allowing gay marriage to take place that this will weaken the institution of marriage and family values. On September 21, 1996 both houses of Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA a federal law which defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. This law, signed by then President Bill Clinton denies the rights of same-sex couples to marry. Not only does this law prevent same-sex couples to marry, it also denies these men and women certain monetary benefits such as public employee benefits, social security survivors, government employee benefits. “Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg recently suggested at a University of Colorado interview that the Supreme Court could likely decide soon whether the law that bars federal recognition of same –sex marriage is constitutional” (Voorhees, 2012). Today a hotly debated question...
Words: 2591 - Pages: 11
...Ashley Clark-Johnson Professor Stansbury English 101 27 May 2015 The Reason Why Same-Sex Marriage Should be Legal Everywhere “The question before us is whether, consistent with the Massachusetts Constitution, the commonwealth may deny the protections, benefits, and obligations conferred by civil marriage to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry… The Massachusetts Constitution affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals. It forbids the creation of second-class citizens. In reaching our conclusion we have given full deference to the arguments made by the commonwealth. But it has failed to identify any constitutionally adequate reason for denying civil marriage to same-sex couples” (Baird & Rosenbaum 21). The first request for same-sex marriage was in 2001 in Massachusetts. There was a long 180 day trial regarding the topic. Eventually, the Supreme Court decided to allow same-sex couples to marry, or at least recognize their union. This stirred up a lot of controversy. Many people felt like victims and were disgusted with the final ruling. The people that felt this way did not know how to fathom that this could be happening in the United States and may have even felt ashamed of living in the county. This was the first time that same sex marriage was even brought to court in the United States and many people believed that it never would be. “Mike Huckabee, the erstwhile presidential candidate and former governor of Arkansas who now hawks the Religious...
Words: 4185 - Pages: 17
..."Ich bin schwul und das ist auch gut so"---I am gay and that is a good thing”. This is what Berlin’s Mayor Klaus Wowereit prior to the 2001 mayoral elections said. In a matter of seconds, everybody throughout Germany knew about it. There was positive feedback about his coming out, but it also aroused criticism. In this essay, I would like to discuss the assets and drawbacks of coming out the closet. I think this is a very important subject because many people struggle with their sexuality. Reflected in this struggle, many people are flawed to the degree at which they hide their sexuality. It takes a lot of courage to come out the closet and therefore many homosexuals decide to rather stay anonymous. How different one can react in regard to this subject is shown in Tony Kushner's play “Angles in America". Most of the characters in this play struggle with their sexuality as well. Roy, Joe, Louis and Belize all deal with the issue of coming out throughout the play. However, every single one of them deals differently with this issue. Prior is definitely one of the most openly gay characters in the play. He demonstrates certain openness about his sexuality within the play, he shows his dependence on his boyfriend Louis when he is not feeling very well. Prior says at the end of the play: “I can handle pressure, I am a gay man and I am used to pressure". (Here Prior implies that being gay has made him stronger than most people; discrimination towards him, has made him "tough.") Contrary...
Words: 693 - Pages: 3
...Pros and cons for arranged marriage. Arranged marriages are often mistaken for forced marriages. Arranged marriage is marriages where the family member takes an important role in bringing a couple together. But it is the person who is getting married who has the final saying. For the majority people in the western world, it often happens that the man and the woman meats each other, fall in love, live together for some years, they get engaged and eventually married so in the western world people think arranged marriage is an outdated practise and is based more of a family pressure than real love. But for many cultures specifically Indian and Middle Eastern cultures family and marriages formed for the sake of love are not common. It’s an expected fact that a person’s family will play a role in picking your partner. In this essay you will get to know the pros and cons of arranged marriage. Since the families do the matching, they would of course try to choose a companion who has good bank balance, so their beloved daughter/son will have a financial security in the future. You can’t really accuse the parents for being greedy. They wish only the best for their children; they like any other parents would want a stable and secure life for their child’s own future family. They tend to go for partners who are of equal, when it comes to education, finances and morals. If you have a highly educated daughter you would like to find someone as educated, or even more for her. This starts...
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
...Gay Marriage When someone mentions marriage, people often picture one of the happiest days of their lives. Marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. Can you imagine two men or two women get to marry? As homosexual people who don’t hide their sexual disposition are increasing, their marriages become a controversial topic in society. Homosexuality is not only offensive to a religious person who believes God created a man and a woman to institute marriage, but it is also unacceptable to people who see it as a degeneration of the family, and a danger to a healthy society. Many people argue whether it is right or wrong, and some people just do not care or just do not want to talk about it. Homosexuality is on the rise in the United States as well as many other countries. People should aware that the same sex marriages are rising; traditional marriages are replaced. According to dictionary, Traditional Marriage is the social institution under which a man and a woman establish their decision to live as husbands and wife by legal commitments and religious ceremonies. Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. In society today same sex marriage is socially recognized the marriage between two persons with a same biological sex or social gender. These two very different views have caused a lot of social problems to current world. In closing, my personal viewpoint People should oppose homosexual marriage...
Words: 3022 - Pages: 13
...What is Federalism? As a country that is more than 200 years old, the United States of America has become known as the cornerstone of democracy within the world today. When the forefathers of the country came together to create what would become the democratic government today, they instilled a number of political values that are still functioning today. Federalism is one of these ideas. While it has its roots in Colonial America and beyond, it still has a place and can be seen in this country in 2014. The Cornell University School of Law defines Federalism in the following way: “Federalism is a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government” (Cornell, 2014). In basic terms this means that the country's government is broken up into parts that handle various levels of concern. For example, the United States of America has developed a government that functions on the local, state and federal level. Since the layout of the government is broken into these three sections, then American can be considered an example of a country that is run by Federalist principles. With that in mind, there are a number of examples of how this ideal, which can be considered dated, is still functioning within the world today. The development of a federalist type of government allows the national level to deal with issues of national concern, while the states tend to deal with issues within their own borders. “The U.S. Constitution grants the federal...
Words: 1090 - Pages: 5
...Essay 1: Some people believe that marriage is a sacred institution that should only be between a man and a woman, and that it's immoral for marriage to exist between same sex couples, implying inferiority of love between same sex couples. But who are they to stop one’s inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness? I believe marriage should be legal for any two individuals who truly love each other and who have intentions to spend their lives together and be granted legal recognition of their union. Only 5 of the 50 states in the United States of America grant the right of same sex marriage. Under the United States constitution, the 14th amendment specifies equality for all men saying that state cannot “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Though this doesn’t specifically address the topic of gay marriage, it does give a constitutional basis to the belief in equal rights to marriage between people, regardless of sexual orientation, just as marriage is a right to people regardless of their race. It is not fair for some to have the benefits of marriage while others cannot. All individuals should have the same rights in society, and to me personally the idea goes against our constitution when these rights are denied. People all have their reasons for rejecting or accepting this lifestyle. I believe that one significant influence to a person’s acceptance of different sexual orientations is religion, which is often sited as a reason to deny...
Words: 4263 - Pages: 18
...The Supreme Court and Civil Liberties No matter what an individual believes, one thing is for certain, religion has a huge impact within our own society and throughout the world. Recent advances of this freedom have caused serious implications in the middle east. Religion in the United States is diverse and as a result of this diversity, we see that followers of certain religions will use the diversity of religion within to influence or even manipulate those who do not share the same views. Often times, this expression and influence has a negative effect on society. Throughout this essay, I will go in depth and discuss examples of the impact that religion has had throughout our own society and the world along with the greater impacts the freedom has had on our society. More specifically, I will select four religions that have created a fragmented society we have come to know. What is now being termed a terrorist attack, the attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya is an example of how the exercise of freedom of religion here in the United States has had severe implications elsewhere. An anti-Muslim film was produced by a right wing group here in the United States that sparked outrage within the middle east. Once anti-American Muslims found out about “The Innocence of Muslims,” attacks on United States consulates were planned. The attack that received the greatest amount of coverage was in Benghazi, Libya and resulted in the death of four Americans. Not...
Words: 1936 - Pages: 8
...Most of you probably know at least 1 person who is adopted, whether it be a sibling,cousin, friend, neighbor, etc. There are 2 types of adoption, national and international adoption. In this essay I will be defining international adoption and the pros and cons of it. International adoption is when a person or family adopt children out of the country. International adoption fakes strong transnational bonds: It establishes parental ties between an individual or a couple and a child who is a citizen of another country. For some adoptive parents, international adoption gives them a way to expand their families. For others, it fulfills a humanitarian impulse to care for a child who might otherwise face a harsh future. 8 months to one and a half years old are the most popular age range of when the children get adopted. Infants are typically about six months old...
Words: 668 - Pages: 3
...In the contemporary dispute over homosexuality within the Church, how and in what balance can the Anglican three-legged stool of Scripture, tradition and reason be used as a starting point for the benefit of the whole Church and gay and lesbian people in particular? The issue of homosexuality is a vital one for all churches. The Anglican Church is one of those that contains proponents on both sides of the argument and one of the ways it has viewed revelation is to see it being arrived at through a three fold cord- Scripture, tradition and reason. The essay’s main concern will be with experience and the dialogue of the interpretive community. This is because in an area of strong disagreement dialogue and the interpreters themselves are the keys to how both Scripture and tradition should be used. Natural law seems to be philosophically dead and yet the naturalness of an act is still used by some as an argument against homosexuality. As for science, it has offered no firm conclusions about why some people are homosexual. Therefore this essay will not cover these areas. SCRIPTURE “Slavery seeks refuge in the Bible only in its last extremity…. Goaded to frenzy in its conflicts with conscience and common sense, … it courses up and down the Bible, ‘seeking rest and finding none.’ The law of love, glowing on every page, flashes through its anguish and despair.” (Theodore Dwight Weld, The Bible Against Slavery: or, An Inquiry into the Genius of the Mosaic System, and the Teaching...
Words: 3048 - Pages: 13
...Analysis of Obamacare Health Policy Anthony E Davis POL201: American National Government Ginger Devine November 25, 2013 Analysis of Obamacare Health Policy One of the most crucial issues of today is the issue of health insurance and availability of quality health services to all residents of the U.S. This paper will analyze the Obamacare Healthcare Policy-highlighting its core elements, health care problem solution, and the policies history. Also it will evaluate the pros and cons using different perspectives in debate. Let’s begin with the elements of Obamacare. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also called Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act, is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010 (ObamaCare Summary: A Summary of Obama's Health Care Reform, 2013). Since the establishment of Medicaid and Medicare of 1965, Obamacare is one of the most significant expansions from the government and administrative overhaul of the U.S healthcare system. The purpose of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is to raise the rate of health coverage of Americans, to modernize the delivery of health care services, and to reduce the overall costs of health care. This is to be done by restricting certain insurance company practices and providing tax credits and subsidies for individuals and businesses. Prior to the approval of the Obamacare Policy, the American health care industry was in deep...
Words: 1743 - Pages: 7
