Summary of “For Gay Marriage”
In his essay “For Gay Marriage,” Andrew Sullivan argues that marriage isn’t and has never been, in his view just a “private contract” between two people, and that now marriage is seen as a social and public recognition of such a commitment (404). Sullivan argues that to refuse homosexuals the right to marry is a public offense to their rights and equality as citizens. Sullivan makes the case in his essay that homosexual couples deserve the same rights, the right to marry, because they are just as capable of fulfilling the requirements of marriage as heterosexuals.
Throughout his essay Sullivan argues that marriage should be allowed between any two people. He explains that marriage can no longer just be defined in the narrow sense as between a man and a woman, rather it has to be viewed in a broader perspective as it is an “emotional, financial, and psychological bond between two people”, who are consenting adults who are not closely related to one another (404). Sullivan makes the argument that marriage should not be denied to same sex couples because marriage is no longer viewed in our society as being for the sole function of procreation. It no longer matters if a couple has children or not, so why should whether or not a couple can have children be a stipulation that keeps the right to marry from homosexual couples. Sullivan finally asserts that marriage is an emotional commitment by two people for life, and that it requires sacrifice, commitment, and responsibility. He argues that by that definition one cannot believe in equality for all and still believe that homosexuals should not be allowed to marry.
In his essay Sullivan also introduces and argues the point, one that comes from the conservative side, that domestic partnerships undermine the idea of marriage. Many cities across the United States recognize relationships that