Analysis of the Gay Marriage Conflict - Essay Example

Gay Marriage Gay marriage also referred to as same-sex marriage is a union/marriage between two individuals of the same sex that stay together as a family. Legal recognition of gay marriage or the probability to undertake a gay marriage is occasionally referred to as equal marriage or marriage equality, more so by its supporters. The legalization of gay marriage is viewed as ‘redefining marriage’ by a lot of opponents. Gay marriage unions have been witnessed in some cultures’ history, but unions that were socially accepted or marriages between partners of the same-sex were not common or nonexistent in some cultures. The initial laws that allowed gay marriage in recent times were enacted during the first decades of the 21st. As at 1st January 2015, seventeen nations (Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Iceland, France, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Uruguay, and the United Kingdom) and some sub-national jurisdictions (United States’ most states and parts of Mexico) accept gay couples to marry. Finland and Slovenia are accepted to amend their laws soon so as to facilitate for gay marriages. Polls indicate increasing support for gay marriage that legally recognized in parts of Europe and America (Spilsbury, Louise 23). The introduction of gay marriage laws has variation by jurisdiction, being variously achieved through a change in legislation to marriage laws, a court ruling that is based on constitution guarantees of equality, a popular vote that is direct (via a referendum or a ballot initiative). Gay marriage recognition is a social, political, civil rights and human rights issue, as well as a religious issue in a lot of countries and all over the world, the debate persist in raising whether gay couples should be permitted marriage, or instead accepted to have a different status (a civil union), or such rights to be denied to them (Snyder, et al. 34). Gay marriage can offer same-sex couples who pay their taxes with services that are offered by the government and make financial demands on them as compared to the ones afforded and needed of opposite-sex married couple. Gay marriage also provides them with legal protections like hospital and inheritance rights. Certain analysts state that psychological, physical and financial well-being are improved by marriage and that kids of gay couples benefit from being brought up by parents within a union that is legally recognized and is supported by institutions of the society. Court documents that American Scientist Associations filled also indicate that isolating gay women and men as ineligible for marriage both stigmatizes and welcomes discrimination by the public against them. The American Anthropological Association asserts that research of social science does not approve the opinion that either social orders that are viable or civilization depend upon failing to recognize gay marriage. Gay marriage can be carried out in a civil ceremony that is secular or in a religious setting. Many faith communities all over the world support are accepting gay couple to marry or perform gay marriage ceremonies. In a study of examining the consequences of discrimination that are institutional on the psychiatric health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people that was carried out by a Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, discovered an increase in psychiatric disorders, involving more than doubling of disorders of anxiety, within the (LGB) individuals living in the US that constituted bans on gay marriage. The study showed the importance of doing away with discriminations that are in the form of institutions, even those resulting in disparities in the well-being and mental health of LGB individuals. Institutional discrimination is entailed by conditions in the society level that limit opportunities and getting to the available resources by groups that are socially disadvantaged. Gay activists argue that marriage is beneficial for all men, whether heterosexual or homosexual, since engaging in its roles socially, lowers men’s promiscuity and aggression. The data on present psychological and the other social sciences studies on gay marriages in comparison to mixed-sex marriage shows that mixed-sex and same-sex relationships are not different in important psychosocial dimensions.The sexual orientation of a parent is not related to their ability to offer nurturing and healthy family environment; and that union bestows substantial social, psychological, and health advantages. Gay couples and their kids are more likely to benefit in many ways from their families being legally recognized, and offering recognition as such through marriage bestows more benefit than domestic partnerships or civil unions. Many opinion polls and studies on gay marriage have been carried out, and these include the ones that were completed throughout the 21st centaury’s first decade. It has been revealed that the support for gay marriage is consistently increasing throughout the world. Most of the research that was carried out in the developed countries in the 21st century’s first decade indicates a majority of individuals in favor of gay marriage. Legal gay marriage support has increased across every political ideology, age group, gender, race, religion and developed countries’ various regions in the world. A recent opinion poll in the United States has indicated a further increase in public approval of gay marriage. When fully grown up individuals were asked in the year 2005 whether they thought ‘unions between homosexuals should not be or should be recognized by law as valid, with similar rights as traditional marriages. 28% answered in the affirmative, as 68% answered in the negative, the remaining were not sure. When grown up individuals were asked the same question in March 2013, 50% said they were in favor of the gay marriage, as 41% opposed it, and the remaining 9% said they were not sure about it. Different polls and studies that are detailed regarding same-sex marriage that were carried out in many countries indicate that approval for gay marriage increases with higher levels of education and that teenagers are most likely to approve its legalization than the older generations. From the standard definition of marriage, it is obvious that the topic of gay marriages carries a lot of controversies. Those who are in favor of gay marriage often argue the love offers grounds adequate for marriage, despite the sexual orientation. Those who oppose it usually cite religious viewpoints and the way children are supposed to be brought up as their main reason for opposing (Staver, Mathew D. 51). The gay marriage conflict is not an easy one. It involves many religious, cultural, legislative, and family issues. From a legal standpoint, the people who oppose gay marriage debate mostly believe the marriage’s rights should be limited to couples of opposite sex. Those who are in its favor believe that marriage is a civil right and is not supposed to consist of any form of restrictions to those of a given sexual orientation. Debates for and against the gay marriage in most cases revolve around religious factors. Some religious institutions decline to offer or employ services from gay couples (Corvino, et al. 51). Christian groups who are in favor of gay marriage argue that these people were created as by the same God who created those who are straight, therefore it is only fair that they also enjoy the similar rights as the rest. Those who oppose argue that gay marriage is not moral, against the will of God, and undermine the goal of human sexuality, which is to produce babies. The Jewish church also has a varied approach to gay marriage. The Islamic faith rejects homosexuality openly, citing the tale of Lot in Sodom as their disapproval of homosexuality. In conclusion, it is evident that many of those who take a given position on gay marriage do so in accordance with their beliefs about family. Many believe that child has the right to be brought up by a father and a mother, and raising him/her in a household that is homosexual, is denying him/her that right. In addition, studies carried out by scientists has discovered that kids who are brought up by parents who are homosexual are very capable of parenting that is heterosexual to their very own children later in life. Work Cited Corvino, John, and Maggie Gallagher. Debating Same-Sex Marriage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, USA, 2012. Internet resource. Snyder, R C. Gay Marriage and Democracy: Equality for All. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006. Print. Spilsbury, Louise. Same-sex Marriage. New York: Rosen Central, 2012. Print. Staver, Mathew D. Same-sex Marriage: Putting Every Household at Risk. Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 2004. Print. Read More