Ethics Issue in the News: Gay Marriage - Essay Example

There has been a lot of emphasis on the empowerment of people, equality of rights, and eradication of racism from society at all levels over the past few decades. This has made gay marriage one of the most debatable topics of the present age. “Fifty percent of Americans believe same-sex marriages should be recognized by law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages” (Newport). Anti-gay notions that have been an integral part of the conservative culture are being openly discussed and challenged now as these notions are being identified as racism and discrimination against the gay community. I believe that since religion has condemned gay marriage, and religion happens to be the fundamental source of knowledge of ethics for mankind; gay marriage should remain illegal.

Analysis of the Issue
Proponents of gay marriage say that it should be legalized because the illegalization of gay marriage is discrimination against the gay community. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Executive Director, Rea Carey shared her views in these words, “Equal protection under the law is a foundational guarantee for all Americans and denial of the right to marry flies in the face of this shared value” (Carey). They dwell on the concept that an individual does not choose his/her sexual orientation; it is rather in-born. The phrase they commonly use in support of this belief is “born this way”. This three-word phrase conveys all that the proponents of gay marriage have to say.

They argue that the illegalization of gay marriage is ethically unjustified since it deprives the gay community of their right of sticking to their natural sexual orientation. Even some heterosexual people approve of gay marriage. While declaring that he approves of gay marriage in an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, President Barack Obama said, “I hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient [and that] for a lot of people, the word marriage was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth” (Obama cited in “JUST IN”).

Opponents of gay marriage primarily base their arguments on the teachings of religion. Homosexuality has not only been condemned but has been described as a transgression of the limits imposed by God upon mankind in most religions in general and the Abrahamic religions in particular. George (Carey) refers to gay marriage as a threat to the bond between the state and the church. In addition to religion, opponents of gay marriage consider it an unnatural act since gay couples cannot biologically produce children. They either have to adopt children or live with the children they have had through previous heterosexual marriages. Opponents of gay marriage also highlight the negative implications of gay marriage on the psychology of children living with gay couples, as well as upon society, particularly which suffers from a negative rate of population growth.

Conclusion
Legalization of gay marriage is an ethical controversy since it involves the right of a certain community i.e. gay community and its implications on their own lives, the lives of people related to them, and society at large. In most countries of the world, women outnumber men in the population. On one hand, if gay marriages are legalized, although it would address the concerns of the gay community, then an even lesser number of men would be available to women for heterosexual marriages. This in turn will generate the effect of women marrying women. On the other hand, if gay marriage is illegalized, the gay community as well as the heterosexual people in favor of gay marriage consider it a discriminatory act against homosexual people. Either way, there are certain benefits and certain consequences, thus making the issue qualify as an ethical dilemma.

I consider religion as the fundamental source of all knowledge about ethics. Since religion condemns gay marriage, there is no room for discussion for a true believer. Evaluation of this matter according to the theories of ethics is complicated because analysis with different theories yields different results. We need to have a more objective standard of evaluation and nothing compares to religion in this regard. Read More