...Since April 1st, 2001, when the Netherlands became the first country to legalize gay marriage, the matter has become a controversial topic all over the world, including here in the United States. Thirty-six U.S. states have banned same-sex unions, however, many people believe homosexual marriage should be legal in all states. Supporters of this view point out the immorality of restricting people from marrying. Also, they note that no one is in any way superior to anyone else and no one should have the power to dictate anyone else’s rights. Lastly, proponents will make it clear that being homosexual is not something one can simply alter by choice. Although some may not agree, gay marriage should be legalized. First of all, same-sex marriage should be given a thumbs up in all states due to morality. The word “marry” is defined as “to unite.” (Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language) If blacks and whites, Christians and atheists, men and women, old and young, and many more have the right “to unite,” why shouldn’t gays have the same right? In a country where our creeds are thought to be, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” why is it that some are denied these rights which are meant to be unalienable? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. states in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, “…when we allow freedom to ring; when we let it ring from...
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...Same Sex Marriage? Ban Same Sex Marriage The Ultimate web site providing information on the issues. We should be anti-gay marriage, and should ban gay same sex marriages and such practices. Pro-Family Groups in Connecticut Rally Voters to Overturn Court's Gay 'Marriage' Ruling" Pro-family activists in Connecticut are urging the people of the state to vote yes for a constitution convention when they head for the polls on Nov. 4. Though the 4-3 split decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court on Friday effectively redefined marriage in the state, Connecticuters will have the opportunity to have the final say if enough voters rally behind a call for the state legislature to convene a state constitution convention. Every twenty years, under the state constitution, the ballot question "Shall there be a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise the Constitution of the state?" is placed on the ballot for consideration. This year marks Connecticut's 220th since its admission to the Union in 1788. The Court's willingness to undemocratically impose same-sex marriage on Connecticut has made it necessary for us to demand the right to Let the People Decide, expressed Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut (FIC), in a press release following Friday's high court decision. And that is why thousands of us will vote 'yes' for a constitutional convention on November 4th." If enough votes are found to favor a convention, it will be incumbent...
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...Same-Sex Marriage and Its Affect on Society April 9, 2011 Same-Sex Marriage and Its Affect on Society Gay marriage is a highly controversial topic that has caused violence, tears, confusion, debate, and unhappiness, and action towards the gay equality movement. The United States stresses how everyone is equal and everyone has the same rights, but if that were true, why are gays and lesbians not allowed to get married. In the recent years, the concept of same-sex marriage has become quite the controversial issue. Many lawsuits, law amendments, and debates of occurred because of this issue. It has not only caused pain to those who are affected by these laws, but it has caused hatred for both those who are affected and those who believe that same-sex marriage should not happen. There are many benefits to same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriage decreases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases amongst the gay community, increases adoptions, and is all about love; therefore same-sex marriages should be legalized. Gays and lesbians have been fighting hard for equality for many years now. Before the fight for same-sex marriage came about, discrimination against homosexuals was the current war that is still in process. In its earlier years, being gay was unacceptable. People had to hide who they truly were in order to avoid being beaten or bullied. During and after the wild 1960s, a lot of people were sleeping with multiple partners and even groups. This led to gays and lesbians...
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...November 8, 2012 Fighting for Gay Rights Over the past few decades, homosexuality has started to become noticed in many cities, TV shows, and even movies. By noticeable, I mean less “closeted” individuals who are not afraid to show their true selves. More and more people are becoming socially accepting of homosexuals after realizing that their intentions and overall lifestyle follows the same as heterosexual people. We all face the same implications of life, including forming relationships, drama, raising a family, working and paying taxes, etc. Ranging from common folk to famous celebrities and even royalty, homosexuality seems to affect many in ways that also range from positive to negative as well. It is a complication not by the individuals who feel and exhibit it, but due to a lifestyle that demands respect and acknowledgement. The gay community, or LGBT, today faces many obstacles when it comes down to fighting for equality. In many schools around the United States, a broader sense of welcome has opened up for those individuals who seek sanctuary in coming out to their friends and loved ones. In The Advocate Magazine, the national gay and lesbian magazine for many teenagers, a freshman from Minneapolis named Javier shares his story about coming out to everyone at his new high school but is concerned of what just may happen. In his time at high school, Javier meets a teacher that is lesbian who understands him and helps support him as they form a gay-straight alliance for many...
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...Keenen Walker Price Sociology 1160 3 December 2013 Same Sex Marriage The term social problem is defined as something that is damaging to society. There is a process for something to become considered a social problem. The process is made up of multiple steps all starting with claims making. Claims making is the step that defines the problem as an actual issue that is harmful to society. In the issue of gay marriage rights, the claims makers are people such as political leaders and people who have authority in society. Gay marriage rights is a major controversial issue here in the United States. Even though, according to a poll taken by Gallup, the majority rule of fifty-two percent would be for gay marriage to be legalized by the American people, it is still a very big issue. There are still many people who are not accepting of the gay marriage rights, believing that marriage is tradition between a man and a woman. The issue has been a main topic in political campaigns, and even in the 2012 election between Obama and Romney. The issue was brought up in many of the debates because it such a current issue, with both sides having very different opinions. In the poll taken by Gallup, the demographic groups who are the most supportive of gay marriage rights were: liberals with seventy seven percent agreeing, those with no religious affiliation with seventy six percent, Democrats with seventy percent, young adults aged eighteen to thirty-four with sixty nine percent, those...
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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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...homosexual? What is homosexual marriage? Homosexual is defined as same-sex; meaning ‘sexually attracted only to people of the same-sex as oneself’ (Oxford Dictionary, 2000, p. 883). Homosexual marriage is between two same-sex partners’ also known as same-sex marriage. Homosexual marriage is illegal in some countries and states on a decade of a century ago. The government and the society’s point of view towards the marriage institution should only consist of a man and a woman. The trend of homosexual couples are increasingly gaining approved in other countries but they are still not been allowed to marry. However, in 2004, Massachusetts which is a part of the America is the first state that was allowed same-sex couples to marry (Vestal, 2009). Same-sex marriage was gradually permitted in some countries. According to the Confessore and Barbaro (2011), New York has the highest rate where gay and lesbian couples get married. Due to this, it is obvious that homosexual couples wish that their relationship can be accepted by the society. Nowadays, majority of the people have no problem towards the issue of homosexuality. According to a questionnaire result that was stated in the Beijing News, 100 percent out of 83 percent of the respondents born in 1980 years to 1990 years did not disagree of homosexuality (The Star, 2012, p. 39). The purpose of this paper is to point out that homosexual couples have their rights to marry as legalizing homosexual marriage can also bring a multitude advantages...
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...Gay marriage is a controversial topic in society today. Most Americans do not agree with same sex marriage because of religious beliefs. What they fail to realize is that banning gay marriage will go against the United States Declaration of Independence well known phrase, “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Homosexuals have nothing to do with heterosexuals. The homosexual community harms and destructs nobody and no one. That being said, people should not be so hostile against same sex marriage. Americans should have their own rights to enjoy life with their significant other, whether that being with the same sex or not. Society today should learn how to respect other peoples choice of style and preference. Marriage itself is between two people. Therefore, does it matter if it’s with the same sex? People should not be judged based off of their sexual orientation, but by the content of their character. Happiness should not be determined by others nor by the government. When viewed by others people should not see black or white, gay or straight. As a community, we...
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...Pro’ Gay Marriage There are many ways to describe marriage. There are legal definitions, biblical definitions, and personal definitions. Which one is the right definition? The decision of which definition is the right one depends on where you live and what you believe. There are many different types of unions that can be viewed as marriages. Comparing these different relationships gives insight to how relationships are formed and joined. Although marriage is just a civil union in the eyes of the government, it is so much more to the people involved. I feel that there is a rite of passage when forming a marriage. It is not just to form a union so that the government can give you benefits. I believe it is a gift from God when you find that person that makes your life better. Even if a person doesn’t believe in a higher power like Christianity does, a person’s natural instinct is to love and to be loved. It is normal that being loved makes a person feel good and become more secure. A marriage is supposed to have the foundation of love, trust, and forgiveness. I do believe same-sex couples should be able to get married because we live in a democracy, not a theocracy. For people to deny same-sex couples from marrying is discriminating, prejudice, and unreasonable. People who are against gay marriage will try to use the “One man and one woman" argument, (Eric Shepherd) forgetting that marriage was originally and still is a civil union that predates religion for over a thousand years...
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...Gay Marriages Kimberly Sousa BUSCOM/275 Version 2 May 9, 2013 Kevin McCoyd Article Rebuttal The paper will have the contents of an article I decided to do for reasons that will be revealed in the conclusion. The topic is from the New York Daily News Gay Marriage the title is “Five arguments against gay marriage: Society must brace for corrosive change.” The author talks about many areas of concerns throughout the article. One is religious freedom “A recent Newsday editorial said opponents “will be seen by future generations in much the same light as those who opposed school desegregation. Devout Catholics, Orthodox Jews and, ironically, the 70% of African-Americans who oppose gay marriage will become the new Ku Klux Klan?” I do not agree with this, I have not seen a traditional marriage yet or and I do not believe one exist either. Families today have an enormous amount of pain involved with their marriages like seeking other sexual services for one, amongst many other violation of the marriage law and some of them are considered “unnatural”. The second argument is the Rights of Children. In the article the author says “More children living in gay homes means more children living lives absent a relationship with at least one biological parent. This will result in some emotional pain and confusion”. A study published in Pediatrics on June 7, 2010 found that children of lesbian mothers were rated higher than children of heterosexual parents in social and academic...
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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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...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...
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...While some differences between Lesbian, and Gays (Homosexuals) and Heterosexuals are evident, the similarities are striking. A recent survey of 121,000 Americans has shown that 3.4 percent of American citizens readily identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Although getting an exact measure of sexual orientation and gender identity in a poll is extremely difficult because the majority of Americans who are in the “closet” would not claim their sexual orientation in a survey. At one stage or another, every man woman or child will be faced with the issue of heterosexual vs. homosexual. Heterosexuals have no issue with owning their “straightness”. Everyone comes into this world the same way as everyone else. There are no other ways to come into this world. People can't just appear out of thin air and be alive. All people die and leave this world just like everyone else. The main issue being, are there any real differences or likenesses in these types of people? Here begins an in-depth analysis of the controversial subject of heterosexual vs. homosexual. Heterosexuals are people who are attracted to the opposite gender and have a sexual attraction between two people of the opposite sex. Years ago heterosexuals made up most of the world percentage and heterosexuals are meant to procreate. The straight community are heterosexuals who have the belief that people in relationships should be a man and a woman. Straight people’s view on their lives is mostly a man...
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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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...Same Sex Marriage Recently the discussion of same sex marriage has been a hot topic in both the political and religious arenas. This controversial issue has caused many citizens to take a solid stance on same sex marriages based on his or her morals, beliefs, and viewpoints. Popular reasons that citizens considered when deciding their stance are civil rights, religion, parenting, and financial matters. This paper will break down the pros and cons of each of the reasons listed and attempt to come to a conclusion of should same sex marriages be legalized in the state of Californians. Civil Rights The Constitution of the United States was written in 1776, which during that time there were no gender specifications noted pertaining to the recognition of a legal marriage. Same sex marriage debate is so large that in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which clarified that marriage is between a man and woman. The main reason gay and lesbian couples are fighting hard to legalize same sex marriage is so those couples will be allowed to and benefit from the same government, financial, and legal stances as heterosexuals marriages. Several states allow partnerships or civil union for same sex couples, however, they are denied certain rights given to heterosexual couples (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2013). Because of the growing debate of same sex marriages, President Obama administration said that it would no longer defend...
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