Should Gay Marriage Be Legalized - Research Paper Example

Should Gay Marriage Be Legalized Overview of the Issue Gay marriage has long since been the cause of many controversies among both the homosexual and the heterosexual communities. While people have stopped viewing homosexuality as a taboo subject, as well as going as far as to allowing homosexual couples be entitled to many of the rights that heterosexual couples have, there is something else entirely to be said about gay marriage. Many people believe that civil rights allow people, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, to be with whom they choose; equal rights promises the same thing, giving homosexuals the opportunity to decide on who they want their life-partners to be. However, others do not seem to agree, believing that marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman. Many states are legalizing gay marriage, other states are trying to ban it, though to almost no avail, and others still are allowing gay couples to engage in civil unions as a compromise between the two sides of the argument. To the homosexual community, however, this is not enough. Gay marriage should be legalized, giving the homosexual community the same options and rights that heterosexuals have. The Support for Gay Marriage The legalizing of gay marriage all comes down to civil rights and equal opportunities. Rights are usually dependent on the location in which someone lives. In America, we pride ourselves on equality and freedom among all people, treating each person the same as the next. This freedom and equality has nothing to do with gender, race, religious beliefs, or economic background. Each person is entitled to the same thing as everyone else. Along those same lines, marriage, and the rights of homosexual couples, should be regarded in the same way. The only thing that sets these people apart from others is their sexual orientation. If they were to be denied the same rights of heterosexual couples because of their sexual orientation, then, as Americans, we would be risking coming off as liars and being prejudice. Furthermore, our country embraces diversity, and by denying one group privileges that they should be entitled to, we are denying our country the chance to really shine as a diverse, open-minded country. Unfortunately, the debate for legalizing gay marriage goes much further than how we are viewed as a country, going against our own morals. As aforementioned, civil and equal rights play huge roles in approving of gay couples to become married. Homosexual couples are being denied what should rightfully be theirs (Lauricella, 2010). There really is no law, such as in the Constitution, that states that a homosexual couple cannot married. While states may have it in their constitutions to not recognize same-sex marriage, the United States, as a whole, has nothing to state the same. Therefore, the concept of legalizing gay marriage can be done on a state-by-state basis, as the country’s Constitution is already open for it. This is where the trouble comes in, however. Some states are open for gay marriage, but others are not. There are homosexual couples that can marry in one state, though others that may not be allowed to marry in another state. The equality is there, just not spread out enough. Other issues that exist because of gay marriage debates are the rights that homosexual couples have, or do not have. There are some states that not only allow and recognize gay marriages, but allow those couples the same rights as heterosexual couples. The few states that offer civil unions, however, do not recognize these rights for the homosexual couples. These rights are also neglected in homosexual couples that are dating and living together, although they are given to heterosexual couples in similar situations. Most states do not allow gay couples to adopt, whether or not the state recognizes gay marriage; if one person dies, the other is not entitled to insurance or social security benefits; and, again in the case of death, any children in the marriage, such as those from previous marriages or those that had been able to be adopted, usually do not go to the other parent, but to a family member of the deceased (Suozzi, 2009). These laws and limitations have made it impossible for homosexual couples to start families, which is something that should not be dependent on sexual orientation. Even in situations where gay couples can engage in civil unions, they are not often entitled to the same benefits of marriage as heterosexual couples. Also, there should be no boundaries to love between human beings. The love that a man and a woman feel for each other is no different than the love that a woman and a woman can feel for each other, or a man and a man. Love is simply love, and there should be no rules, laws, or regulations put on it. Homosexuals lose the opportunities to display their love in the same ways as heterosexuals do simply because of their sexual orientation. So many rights are taken away from them, so many things they are being denied over something as insignificant as sexual orientation. Directly put, people are people, sexual orientation aside. Everyone should be entitled to be in love, to be happy, and to be with the person that they choose; no laws or boundaries should take these wonderful chances away from any person. Furthermore, nothing should come in the way between a couple that wants to be together. While some states may be against gay marriages, there should be nothing to force them between homosexual couples that want to be together, lawfully. Oppositions Against Gay Marriage There seems to be just one huge defense against gay marriage, whether it is legalizing gay marriage or accepting homosexuality in general, and that is that people do not see marriage as anything else except between a male and a female. This claim can be split into two branches, one claiming that it goes against what God has set down on the concept of marriage, event though the Bible, while being against homosexuality, preaches for love between all (Miller, 2008) and the second stating that marriage between same-sex couples is unnatural or abnormal, and that marriage only makes sense when it is between opposite-sex couples. However, regardless of the previously mentioned issue, there are other defenses as to why gay marriage should not be legalized, though some of them hold little to no vitality when compared to heterosexual relationships. According to Sam Schulman, “the entity known as ‘gay marriage’ only aspires to replicate a very limited, very modern, and very culture-bound version of marriage. [...] The fact is that marriage is part of a much larger institution, which defines the particular shape and character of marriage: the kinship system (2009).” Many people against gay marriage claim that gay couples do not want the same kind of marriage that heterosexual couples want. While it is true that many gay couples do want to make a family, which is quite common in heterosexual relationships, there are also those that are in the relationship simply for love and to be together. Those opposing gay marriage do not believe that gay couples have anything to gain by being together in the same way as heterosexual couples. In essence, there are those that are against gay marriage because they know that a gay couple cannot properly form a family; therefore, they are unable to understand why they would want to marry to begin with if they cannot create a family, a blood line, from their union. Peter Ramsey takes another viewpoint, claiming that “gay marriage, would not merely define what gays may do, but what the rest of us would have to do as well. If gay marriage were the law of the land, we would be obligated to recognize their relationships as equivalent to the natural lifelong union of man and woman. I am trying to preserve my own right to make a moral distinction between traditional marriage and something which is unspeakably perverse (2004).” Ramsey has taken taken the position that there is very little morality to be found in gay marriages and, unfortunately, there are many that would agree with him. Apparently, if sexual intercourse is not done between a man and a woman, then it is not proper. Furthermore, Ramsey seems to be under the impression that homosexuals are forcing their relationships on the heterosexual community. He believes that there is only one way in which to properly be in love and be with someone, and that is in a heterosexual relationship. After reading these two opinions of people that are opposed to gay marriage, I only stand more firm on the grounds that I believe that gay marriage should be legalized. In offense to Schulman’s argument, homosexual couples are entitled to have families of their own. Not all heterosexual couples are capable of making children, so they often resort to adoption; homosexual couples should be entitled to the same route. Many homosexual couples would love to have a family of their own, but their options are limited. In regard to Ramsey’s argument, in which he states that the heterosexual community would be obligated to regard gay marriages as natural marriages if gay marriage were legalized, it can be seen from the other side of the argument, in which homosexual couples are obligated to regard heterosexual marriages as natural. Interestingly enough, it does not seem that the heterosexual community is unaware of the confusion that many homosexuals feel when they regard a heterosexual couple; indeed, it is hardly any different from the confusion that a heterosexual couple feels looking upon a homosexual couple. Their sexual orientation makes sense to them, yet they find it hard to contemplate another sexual orientation. One way seems right to them, while the other does not. These thoughts apply to both the homosexual and heterosexual communities. So who is to say who is right and who is wrong? Effects and Affects on Society If gay marriage were to be legalized, there would really be no noticeable change in society. The changes are more internal, being among the gay community and individual gay couples, as opposed to something that is external or obvious. The married gay couples would go about their daily lives as they always have, except that they would have a spouse. Being part of a gay couple is not a physical deformity or obstruction, nor is it something that is meant to call attention. The only thing that could befall society if gay marriages were legalized would be protests, but those come with everything that people want to stand for or against, just as the gay community is protesting the banning of gay marriage. There really is not method to solve this problem, however, as everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, just as long as they do not force their views down the throats of others. People need to begin accepting others as they are, as there are no set laws about what is right or wrong, especially in regard to relationships and marriages. All that people have to go on are their own personal beliefs and, more times than not, religious beliefs. We, as humans, set our own laws and rules for these sorts of situations. Live and let live should be the prime directive in the case of homosexual marriages as well as heterosexual marriages. Resolution of the Issue As aforementioned, people need to let other people live as they choose to. Nobody has the right to take control of someone’s life, and that includes relationships. Furthermore, if heterosexual couples are allowed to be married, homosexual couples should be entitled to that same right and privilege. Heterosexual couples need to realize that nothing is being taken from them if gay marriage is legalized; nothing can be lost if gay marriage were legalized, only gained. However, if gay marriage continues to be banned, than homosexual couples will be denied the rights that are rightfully theirs as American citizens. Another solution, if legalizing gay marriage simply is not an option in some states, would be to legalize civil unions and offer the same rights that a married heterosexual couple would have, especially in regards to children. Contrary to the beliefs that others may have, there are many homosexual couples that would love the honor of forming a family and becoming parents. Simply as human beings, everyone deserves those chances. Recommendations for Further Study To date, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont are the only states that have legalized gay marriage, as well as Washington, D.C. It is rather alarming how the only time we hear about gay marriage is when it is being fought against, as opposed to what happens when a state gives in and legalizes gay marriage. It is because of this that I believe gay marriage is something that should be done in other states, seeing as there have been no news-worthy quarrels about it in the states that have legalized gay marriage. The effects of legalized gay marriage in these states should be studied to see how people reacted prior to the law passing, during the protests and the approving and denying of the bill, and after the law was set into motion. If these states have shown to have no major problems upon the approving of gay marriage, then there should be no reason as to why other states should continue to sit on the issue. Conclusion Gay people should be allowed to be married, and they should be entitled to the benefits that heterosexual couples receive. The oppositions against gay marriage are mere opinion and religious babble that others may or may not believe in, and should therefore not be held as proof or reason as to why gay people should not be allowed to marry. In America, everyone is treated equal, regardless of belief, and this should apply to sexual orientations. Love knows no gender. Works Cited Lauricella, Paul. “Why Marriages Equality Matters for LGBT.” TheStylus.net. The Stylus: Campus Talk, 28 April 2010. Web. 28 April 2010. Miller, Lisa. “Our Mutual Joy: Opponents of Gay Marriage Often Cite Scripture, but What the Bible Teaches About Love Argues for the Other Side.” Newsweek.com. Newsweek, 06 Dec 2008. Web. 27 April 2010. Ramsey, Peter. “Opposing Gay Marriage.” NDSObserver.com. The Observer, 30 Aug 2004. Web. 27 April 2010. Schulman, Sam. “The Worst Thing About Gay Marriage.” TheWeeklyStandard.com. The Weekly Standard, 1 June 2009. Web. 27 April 2010. Suozzi, Tom. “Why I Now Support Gay Marriage.” NYTimes.com. The New York Times, 12 June 2009. Web. 27 April 2010. Read More