Same Sex Marriages Should Be Legalized - Essay Example

This paper will argue for the legalization of same sex marriages. Same Sex Marriages Should Be Legalized Every person has a right to pursue happiness and therefore, no person or institution should attempt to deny this right (Sullivan 22). Marriage is a union, which is founded on love, respect, satisfaction, responsibility among other virtues, which guarantee happiness to those who are intending to marry. Different individuals have different needs, which they expect to be fulfilled through marriage and therefore, it is the right of every individual to choose whom they want to marry or get married to.

It is therefore wrong and misplaced for any democratic society to try and influence its members to adopt a lifestyle, which they are not comfortable with. As long as the couples are adults and have consented to establish a same sex relationship, the government has a responsibility to grant them all the necessary support so as to facilitate them with an avenue to pursue their happiness. Continuing to illegalize gay marriages will not change these people’s sexual orientation but it will continue to promote the existence of heterosexual marriages that are only there for convenience purposes.

In this context, knowing that the society is against same sex marriages, gay men and women will try to cover up their ‘shortcomings’ by entering into heterosexual unions, which may end up contributing to the ever rising cases of divorce and disintegration of families. This is due to the fact that it would be difficult to satisfy their sexual and emotional needs, thereby compelling them to engage in adulterous activities with their same sex counterparts (Sullivan 41). Religion has played a major part in the prohibition of same sex marriages.

The church, for example, has continued to maintain that marriage is a holy institution that involves the unification of heterosexual couples only (Rauch 52). This conservativeness of the church is counterproductive especially in the contemporary world, which is facing new challenges on daily basis due to the ever evolving needs of human beings. It is important to understand that we are living in a society that is full of diversity and therefore, not every person agrees with this perception. The church has a right to exercise its discretion while presiding over religious marriages but it does not have the right to dictate how the government should apply secular laws with regard to marriage.

There is a clear distinction between the state and the religious organizations. While the state has the overall responsibility of ensuring that every citizen is protected and respected, religious organizations’ responsibility is to provide guidance and to preach the gospel to their followers so they can achieve spiritual nourishment. Therefore, it is important for the government to listen to the people demanding for the legalization of same sex marriages, instead of the church, as they are the ones, who understand their needs.

Legalization of same sex marriages will facilitate the couples with an avenue for child adoption (Rauch 66). It is a fact that gay couples cannot produce children. However, there are numerous children, who are living in children homes without a guaranteed future or a family to depend on. This is especially due to the fact that such children are only taken care of as long as they are below 18 years