...Jessica Stokes Engl 1302-22 Prof. Gale September 22, 2011 Same Sex Marriage in the US. Gay marriage is an issue in America because gay and lesbian couples are wanting to be able to get married but a lot of people believe that it is wrong. Some people believe that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Others think that anyone should be able to marry whoever they want regardless of what gender they are. This issue is important to me because it is relevant to my life. I am a lesbian and I have a girlfriend that I would like to marry someday. Not only me, but other gay Americans, such as Ellen DeGeneres, may want to marry their partners one day as well, but cannot because the government will not allow it. I think that gay marriage is a good topic for me to research for the entire semester, because I know that it is a major issue in the U.S and people are fighting for or against it constantly. This topic is very dear to me and relevant to my life, so I definitely have the passion to write about it for an entire semester. Even before I was with a girl I was interested in this issue. I have had gay friends all throughout my life and always thought that it was unfair that them and their partners could not legally get married even though they had been together for years. I have always been a supporter of the gay community and a supporter of same-sex marriage. What I already know about the topic is that some religious groups, such as the Westboro Baptist Church, and political...
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...Same-Sex Marriage Argument Sarah Springstube PHI103 Informal Logic Instructor DeFusco August 4, 2014 Same-sex marriage has been an issue among society for many years. Not all people understand there is no ban on same sex-marriage nor is it illegal. In all fifty states there are couples of the same sex who live together, ones who choose their professional job to be in a workplace where joint benefits are offered, and ones who choose a religious community which accepts their relationship. Those who believe this is an issue and feel it should be illegal were likely raised to believe it is wrong to marry someone of the same gender. Whether these people in society were raised by what their religion believes or what their families have taught them to believe it is one’s own beliefs that determine a person to feel whether such an act as same-sex marriage is wrong or right. What’s at issue is whether the government will recognize such relationships as marriages—and then force every citizen, house of worship and business to do so as well. At issue is whether policy will coerce and compel others to recognize and affirm same-sex relationships as marriages (Anderson, 2013). The first premise in this argument; All same-sex couples have the right to be married, it is not illegal. Second premise; Same-sex couples need to be treated equal. This leads us to the conclusion. The conclusion is; Same-sex couples need government approval to be accepted in the public eye. After evaluating...
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...debate of homosexuality and same sex marriage has become even more of a hot topic due to the media, politics, and society in general. So, what does the definition of marriage mean to an individual? Christian conservatives say that marriage is strictly the formal union between man and woman. However, some general Christians may argue that marriage means to live a happy and joyful life with an intimate partner regardless of gender. Within these countless arguments about banning same sex marriages are the small but controversial topics that heat up the debate even more. The biggest issue that fuel the fire even more are the constant debates regarding the definition of the word “marriage”, people around the world have different definitions of the word marriage based on their environments, religion, and other external sources. Another issue that debaters, politicians, and people of the country are constantly debating and arguing about is the concept that can be simply put as “is homosexuality natural?”, believe it or not this one question is the most debated and argued topic between people who oppose same sex marriage and people who approve of same sex marriage. The final issue is the disagreement of the pros of same sex marriage, every time there is a positive note that comes out of same sex marriage, people of the opposition finds something to make that positive into a negative. Although there have been debates about this controversial issue of same sex marriage, both sides of the...
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...that many Americans before us have fought and lost their lives over for centuries. Whether it be for race, religion, or the right to marry whichever gender we please, equality is the most profound rights that we have not only as American citizens, but as human beings. In this paper I will discuss my views on same sex marriage and analyze how the states Massachusetts and California are more liberal than the state of Kentucky when it comes to the issues of same sex marriage. The states Massachusetts and California are more liberal than the state of Kentucky when it comes to the issues of same sex marriage. In my opinion all American states should follow the state of Massachusetts and allow the right to same sex marriages. Granting legal marriage rights under the law must extend to gays and lesbians to ensure that all citizens enjoy full human rights. Same sex marriage is not only the marriage of man and man or woman and woman, but the marriage of two human beings who are in love. Love sees no gender, and my location should not play a role in who I can and can not marry. Literature Review Same sex marriage has been a major issue in our country for years. This issue has played majors roles in matters such as the legislators we elect, the places we choose to reside, and who we will elect as the next president of the United States. On May 17th, 2004, Massachusetts began marrying gay and lesbian couples. At this point only residents of Massachusetts are...
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...Here Same-sex marriage has been an ongoing issue for quite some time in the United States and it has existed throughout all of history; it has gone on a roller coaster of decisions just in the past fifteen years. The United States has not always been in favor of same-sex marriage, however, there are regions within the US, such as Massachusetts, that did get off of the path of the rest of the country and made their own laws about granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. “Since 2001, ten countries and other nation-states have begun to legally formalize same-sex marriages, including Canada, Spain, and some regions within the United States” (Reidel 275). With the support of gay marriage from President Barack Obama, a few other states were in support also. The support of same-sex marriage comes from the belief that it would better our society and that it is an equal right amongst couples. Despite the factual evidence, there are still many people who believe that same-sex marriage would harm our society, but there is always an argument against that. The legalization of gay marriage would better our society and there are many sources and an ample amount of research to prove that. Same-sex marriage should be an equal right. As African-Americans once fought for their freedom, women once fought for their right to vote, now homosexuals are fighting for their right to marry. The constitution says that everyone has a right to liberty and equality; however same-sex couples...
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...principles of the Bible therefore should not support an action, such as legalizing same sex marriage, which goes against our founding beliefs. Same sex marriages has a major impact on today’s society in regards to the union of marriage being legalized in all states, how future generations will be affected and how it will affect the institution of marriage in the future. When it comes to the issue of same sex marriage, many people have different views. Research shows that the majority of Americans oppose same sex marriage, but when it comes to deciding who should make the laws, Americans are split in half . (Bayles) 48% of Americans said that the federal government should make the laws and 46% say it should be left to the states. This information shows that the majorities of Americans have strong opinions about the issue, but don’t know of any way to solve the issue. The debate over same-sex marriage has been a prominent issue in our society over many years now, appearing in several ballot initiatives such as California's Proposition 8. The idea of allowing two people of the same gender to enter into the institution of marriage has brought out drastic emotions and reactions from many different groups of people. Those who engage in the debate believe strongly in their convictions; the two loudest voices tend to come from the gay community and the religious community, the former arguing in favor of same-sex marriage and the latter against it. In the religious community, whenever one...
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...RUNNING HEAD: SAME SEX ADOPTION-AN ETHICAL DILEMMA Same Sex Adoption- An Ethical Dilemma The topic of homosexual equality is a very controversial one for many people; from legalizing gay marriage to inequality in the workplace. Homosexual adoption is another issue that is overlooked by many. The view of a happy and healthy family in the United States has always been looked at as a traditional mother, father, 2.5 kids a dog and a goldfish and that the child’s wellbeing is determined by having a good, strong mother and a father to teach and guide their children to be the best they can be. However, what about the opposite? Many same-sex couples are ready and willing to adopt and have a family of their own, but many states have laws in place that ban same-sex couples from being able to adopt. This ban on same-sex adoption leaves thousands of children without families in the foster care system or in unstable households where they will never reach their full potential. Currently, there are 130,000 children in the foster care system without a permanent family (Ryan, Averett, & Nalavany, 2009). Giving same-sex couples the opportunity to adopt could lessen the load and give more children loving, healthy, and happy permanent families. As of today, 24 states recognize same-sex marriage and only 19; including Washington DC permit same-sex couples to jointly adopt; which allows a couple to adopt a child at the same time. 13 states permit second-parent adoption...
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...Argument #1: That same-sex marriage would destroy the institution of marriage. Point by point: * The Scandinavian studies to which the article presumably refers are the work of right-wing author Stanley Kurtz, who attempted to prove that same-sex marriage decreased the rate of heterosexual marriage in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. This work has been discredited; see the last paragraph on this page for a summary explaining why. * The often-quoted reference from Romans 1:29-32 omits the following verse, Romans 2:1, which reads "Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things." * No credible study has ever found that children are negatively impacted by being raised in a lesbian or gay household. * Argument #2: That if same-sex marriage is legalized, polygamy will follow. * Even if this concern had a rational basis, a simpler solution to this problem would be to propose a constitutional amendment banning polygamy--which would be easily ratified--rather than fooling around with an anti-gay constitutional amendment that only one-third of Americans support. * Argument #3: That same-sex marriage would make heterosexual divorces too easy. * No, seriously. The article actually describes this as an "even greater objective of the homosexual movement" than the legalization of same-sex marriage proper. The article makes no real attempt...
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...Merry Alijoski Professor Osborne WRT 101 21 October 2012 Signify Our Wedding Ring In today’s world, many controversial issues are discussed such as abortion, prostitution, and homosexuality. Same sex marriage has been debated in various countries for many years. This issue brings wide concern to moral and human rights. In earlier times, same-sex marriages were evidential tolerated in parts of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt as shown in artifacts found. The Western world was known for being very accepting of same-sex relationships and unions, which is revealed in Greek paintings. People who are against gay marriage primarily focus on the moral aspect of gay marriage. Supporters of gay marriage think about same-sex couples and the positive effects it can have on them and our society. Gay marriage should be legalized in all states because it is their civil right, it increases family value which leads to an increasing rate in adoption, and same sex marriages stimulate the economy through financial increase. People who are non-supporters of gay marriage believe it goes against the moral and definition of marriage. In Market Watch magazine (2008), many people believe that gay marriages destroy the value of family and tradition. Furthermore, same sex marriage completely goes against major religions such as Catholicism and Islam. However, people do not realize that civil and religious marriages are distinct and separated. Joe Solmoneses, the president of the...
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...Same sex marriage issue paves way for anti-discrimination bill By Artemio Dumlao (The Philippine Star) Updated July 05, 2011 12:00 AM BAGUIO CITY ,Philippines – Christian groups led by the Catholic Charismatic Christian Movement believes that the same sex marriage controversy is a “grand design” by some sectors to push House Bill 1483 (Anti-Discrimination bill) filed by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño. According to the group, the same sex unions officiated by the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) here on June 29 have been pitting family members against each other, the opposing Catholic Church and other Christian groups versus the proponents and even government officials caught in the controversy. Alexander Bangsoy, a member of the charismatic movement in the city and nearby Benguet, said the diverse reactions to the same sex marriages were part of a plot to stir debate and evoke discriminatory attitude against the third sex to gather sympathy for HB 1483. “It set the stage for them to say they are being discriminated, though (they) are not,” Bangsoy said. The group vowed to oppose HB 1483 by urging Baguio Rep. Bernardo Vergara, Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan, and all other congressmen to drop the measure. They have also taken their cause to social networking sites like Facebook (No To Same Sex Marriage in the Philippines group) and have initiated a signature campaign to counter the growing popularity of the “unions.” “We should oppose HB 1483...
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...Research paper: Same-sex Marriage Petra Jerabkova Sociology 316: Marriage and Family Dr. Alston April 10, 2014 The legalization of same-sex marriage has been a battle that has been raging since the late twentieth century. By not allowing same-sex marriage, the United Sates are creating discrimination against same-sex couples. People of faith are the biggest advocates against same-sex marriages. With the belief that marriage is the foundation for procreation, same-sex couples, without the ability to have their own child, should not be allowed the right of marriage. Seeing that there are many rights and responsibilities associated with marriage, same-sex couples are denied these and are being discriminated against. Same-sex couples are denied the right to make decisions regarding their partner’s health and medical treatment. This emotional trauma, as well as the inability to adopt one another’s children, is experienced by same-sex couples every day. Although many states have adopted civil unions, they are separate and unequal. Same-sex marriage should be legalized to create equality and eliminate the injustice involving same-sex couples. In early times, same-sex marriage was not considered taboo and in many cultures, it was encouraged. Random History (2011) explains that in the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the union between couples of the same-sex was recognized by the kingdom. During Greek’s early years, attraction between...
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...Same sex marriage is already taboo, but same sex couples raising children is mostly not considered acceptable by the public because of the misconception that they are not qualified to bring up children in accordance with proper social values. The public is not certain if children will receive proper education about society and behavior to fit in as responsible members. However, several recent movements, such as Feminism and Post-modernism, argue about equal rights for everybody. Feminism is mainly concerned about the equality of men and women in society while Post-modernism is mainly concerned with ending all forms of discrimination in society. Feminism is actually a subdivision of Post-modernism because Post-modernism is against all discriminations while Feminism specializes in pointing out women's rights in the society and the equal status of women and men. Among other things, both ideologies re-evaluate the meaning of love and marriage in modern society. Besides the social movements, several scientific research was made regarding children who grow up in same sex marriages. Children raised in a same sex marriage share the same core values with the society, maybe even higher because they never learned about sexual discrimination in their home, and the only reason why they are restrained is because of the public opinion on these situations. In accordance with scientific research, the American Psychological Association (APA) claims that there are should be no concerns with same...
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...Gay Marriage Same-Sex Marriage is a huge debate around the world and America. It comes up in every governmental president election and debate. Supporters of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples are pushing for the legal rights for same-sex couples to get married. The issue has been tossed back and forth for centuries, but is just now acquiring popularity in the mainstream. There are nine states that have already passed the Same-Sex marriage bill, such as Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington, but a lot of people and scholars are claiming it to be detrimental to society, and that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriage should not be allowed because studies show that society will be destroyed by the outcome of legalizing this act. Homosexuality is mentioned in the Bible many times and exploits it as an immoral sin. A scripture from the Letter to the Corinthians states, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers not male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God”, and a scripture from Leviticus states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before...
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...Same-Sex Marriage Bernard Randall-Jones American Intercontinental University Online Abstract Same-sex marriage, also commonly referred to as Gay marriage, is a very hotly contested issue that divides a great number of people throughout the world. In this argumentative essay, the topic is explored by three of its main arguments. The first exploration of this topic will involve the ability of same-sex couples to parent as effectively as their heterosexual counterparts. Next, the legal issues surrounding same-sex marriage are explored. Lastly, the religious arguments are evaluated. Both sides of the argument for and against same-sex marriage are discussed while the reader is given a respect for the position of supporting marriage equality. Same-Sex Marriage Traditionally, marriage has been defined as both a religious and civil institution that has been afforded to one man and one woman in the promise of love. Modern, more liberal ideologies have challenged this view. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people have been at the forefront of championing the cause for the right to expand the definition of marriage to allow everyone to enjoy the same rights and privileges, without discrimination, as their heterosexual counterparts. Amongst the privileges that they seek are to love, honor and cherish their spouses in equal recognition to their heterosexual counterparts. This paper argues that LGBT people should be allowed to marry because homosexual couples...
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...making, and the public is same-sex marriage. Currently, it is one of the most aggressive issues coming up in American courts, one of the most supported changes discussed in law reviews, and one of the fieriest political questions facing lawmakers. The history of American family law can change forever if same- sex marriage is legalized. It has good and bad consequences for parents, children, same-sex couples, families, social structure, and public health. Being such a controversial issue, there are many important reasons for and against legalizing gay marriage. Marriage is more than just marrying someone you want to be with the rest of your life. It entitles you to financial benefits and financial responsibility. Being married provides legal safeguards for the spouse, including pension, legal rights to property of deceased, and many other rights. Should law prohibit same gender couples from enjoying the benefits of being married? It also creates a legal relationship between the couple and the state. There is no reason why neither the federal government nor any state government should restrict marriage to a predefined heterosexual relationship. Over time marriage has changed drastically. The women in the family are not longer just a spouse, but now an equal partner. Society’s changes have been felt in marriages for decades now as rates of divorce have increase because of these changes. Same- sex marriage to be legalized is promoted by same-sex activists in many countries...
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