Same Sex Marriage - Assignment Example

Same Sex Marriage Outline Human beings have attained awareness with regard to their rights and new controversies and debates have emerged in today’s world. Same sex marriage is an important subject which has been a matter of arguments. The statistics of same sex couples have greatly increased in the United States and this has led to many legal proceedings for their legalization. Proponents of same sex marriage argue that sexual rights are an important constituent of the civil liberties of an individual and therefore this form of marriage should be allowed. Supporters of same sex couples argue that their legalization would assist in the proper running of their family units and prevent them from being stigmatized. It is further argued that genetic have a role to play in sexuality and therefore homosexuality should be marked to be a normal behavior. Opponents of same sex marriage present with the fact that same sex marriage is prohibited according to the religious laws. It is not allowed according to Christianity and Islam. They also identify the fact that the failure and violence rate in same sex marriages is very high and therefore it should not be allowed. Opponents also present the fact that same sex marriage does not follow the natural pattern as reproduction is not possible in this marriage. Therefore, same sex marriage is a very controversial subject in today’s world. Same Sex Marriage Human beings have moved ahead and the human race has evolved from an era of Stone Age to a period of technology and advancement. Human beings have utilized their power of thinking and have reached a stage where every individual is aware of their rights. The time of suppression and slavery is long gone and in today’s world people are conscious regarding their civil liberties and privileges. This understanding has led to the initiation of many controversies and debates. The issue of same sex marriage accounts for one such matter which has sparked many arguments with regard to its legality. The issue surfaced during the last half of the twentieth century when same sex couples demanded the recognition of their relationship. The same sex couples argue and insist on the legality and provision of permission for same sex marriage. On the other hand, this stand is opposed by many religious, social and ethical groups who argue that same sex marriages are against the law of nature and legality of these marriages will destruct the normal structure of the society. These disagreements and debates have led to the questioning with regard to the fact that whether same sex marriages should be allowed or should they be marked as being illegal. The number of homosexuals in the United States has been increasing and this was clearly concluded with the assistance of the statistics provided by surveys conducted by the William’s Institute. It was highlighted that the number of same sex couples increased from 594,391 to 776,943 from the year 2001 to 2005 (Romero et al 2007). Owing to these increases in the number of homosexuals in the country, there have been many legal fights which have been carried out by these groups. Following the year 1990, many uprisings and legal proceedings were initiated by gays for the provision of legality for their marriages. The first major case was held in the Supreme Court of Hawaii in 1993 which invalidated the decision of a lower court from permitting three homosexual couples from marrying. This legal hearing was followed by other proceedings in the State of Alaska in 1998 and Vermont in 1999. A definitive breakthrough for the same sex couples was achieved in the year 2000 when their marriages were legally allowed in the state of Vermont. Therefore, Vermont became the first State in the United States to permit same sex marriages. But there were other states like Mexico where these marriages were initially legalized but the decision was later made invalid. President Bush also strongly criticized the steps for validating gay marriages in the year 2004. Thus there has been no uniform law in the country with regard to same sex marriages (New York Times 2010; Human Rights Campaign, Staff Reports 2004). With the rise in the number of same sex couples, many research activities have been conducted to highlight their behavior and sexuality. A very important research finding on this issue highlights the fact that sexuality of an individual is a genetic trait and homosexual behavior is an inborn genetic incorporation (Newton 1994). It has been indicated that the sexual behavior of the individual is determined by an area in the higher brain and this area was concluded to show differences in the homosexuals and the heterosexuals. Therefore, proponents of same sex marriage present this finding that homosexuality is a characteristic that a person is born with and since it is a natural trait, same sex marriages should be legalized (Mucciaroni & Killian 2004). The proponents of same sex marriages indicate the fact that sexual rights and sexual liberties form an important constituent of the civil liberties of an individual. They argue that every individual has the right to chose for his own sexual behavior. Same sex couples present with the fact that legalization of their relationship would assist them in overcoming the discrimination that they face in the society and it would strengthen their relationship as they would be identified as a couple (Freedom to Marry). Homosexuals present with the problem that the societal pressures tend to make it difficult for them to continue their relationships in a proper way. It makes it difficult for them to express their views and emotions and hence their relationships become strained and difficult to continue. The children of the same sex couples also have to face problems because of the bias in the society. It has been seen that these children do not consider the relationship of their parents to be problematic but they rather find the discrimination in the society difficult to deal with. Therefore, proponents of same sex marriages demand the legality of their sexual status and the validation of their marriages would prove to be very beneficial for them and it would also assist them in leading a normal life (The Independent 2007). Religious and social groups have strongly debated and argued against the same sex relationships. It has been highlighted that homosexuality has been prohibited according to the faiths of Christianity and Islam. Christians use their Holy Book as a reference and highlight the fact that their religion clearly shows that marriage is a relation between a man and a woman and there is no other form of marriage acceptable. Religious preachers present with the fact that marriages have continued between a man and a woman since centuries and this is the only acceptable form of sexual relationship (Alliance Defense Fund; Dailey). The opponents of homosexual marriages present the fact that reproduction is an important sexual process and the continuity of reproduction is essential for the continuity of the world. They argue that reproduction is not possible in same sex marriages and therefore homosexuality is an unnatural and unacceptable form of relationship which should not be legalized. Furthermore, they highlight the fact that not all same sex couples tend to chose adoption and they rather decide to stay only with their partner. Therefore, same sex couples do not follow the normal healthy living pattern and do not fulfill the category of a family unit. The rate of violence is also considerably high in the homosexual households and their relationships show a very low success rate. They also tend to opt for multiple partners. This lifestyle portrays the negativities of the same sex relationships and therefore their marriages are strongly opposed by social and ethical groups. These groups argue that their living patterns are not healthy and same sex relationships should not be promoted and legalized (Dailey). There has been a great rise in the same sex couples in the United States. The rise in the statistics has also led to many controversies and there have been many legal hearings on the matter. Same sex couples have argued for the attainment of a legal status for their relationship and the permission for their marriage. They have utilized the argument of sexual liberties as the basis of their argument. Their arguments have been strongly debated by religious and social groups who consider the same sex relationships to be unnatural and have demanded to consider these relationships to be illegal. In my opinion, the proponents of same sex marriages have strong points. Considering the fact that every individual has the right to choose for their life and the fact that homosexuality is an inborn characteristic, same sex relationships should be legalized. Works Cited Alliance Defense Fund. “The Homosexual Agenda: The Principal Threat to Your Religious Freedom.” Alliance Defense Fund: Defending our first liberty. Retrieved from: http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/issues/TraditionalFamily/samesexmarriage.aspx Dailey, T. J. “The Slippery Slope of Same-Sex Marriage.” Family Research Council. Retrieved from: http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF04C51.pdf Freedom to Marry. “Moving Marriage Forward: Building Majority Support for Marriage.” A Report from Freedom to Marry. Retrieved from: http://www.freedomtomarry.org/resources/ Human Rights Campaign, Staff Reports. (2004) “Gay Marriage in the Courts.” The Washington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/daily/graphics/gaymarriage_051804.html Top of Form Mucciaroni, G., & Killian, M. (January 01, 2004). Immutability, Science, and Legislative Debate Over Gay,Lesbian and Bisexual Rights. Journal of Homosexuality, 47, 1, 53. Retrieved from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.nu.edu/ehost/detail?hid=15&sid=b1e2d368-e8ed-4ea1-819a-1ca7f678e20e%40sessionmgr14&vid=2 Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Romero, A. P., & Williams Institute (University of California, Los Angeles. School of Law). (2007). United States. Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. Retrieved from: http://www2.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/USCensusSnapshot.pdf Bottom of Form “Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships” (August 13, 2010) The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/same_sex_marriage/index.html Two years ago, gay couples finally won the right to tie the knot - and thousands did. But has it all turned out happily ever after? Simon Usborne meets the men and women who have said I do :[1ST Edition]. (2007, November 30).The Independent,p. 2.  Retrieved January 24, 2011, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1390967661). Newton, David E. Gay and Lesbian Rights: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 1994. Print. Read More