Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal to Increase the Adoption Rate - Term Paper Example

Over the years, the institution of marriage has remained guided by traditional and religious norms in most cultures. Different cultures have different doctrines guiding their way of life. In most of these cultures, marriage is considered as the union of two people from opposite sexes. However, the situation is changing with same-sex marriage becoming a prevalent phenomenon in western democracies. Many countries have banned same-sex marriage citing its negative effects on society. As a result, there is an uneven distribution of same-sex marriages globally.

The resistance to legalizing same-sex marriage is due to the lack of informed opinion regarding its benefits. The paper seeks to support the position that same-sex marriage should be legal. Research indicates that support for same-sex marriage in Western democracies such as the US has experienced exponential growth in the past decade. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center indicates that about 62% of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriages (Masci et al.) The increased support in the years is due to an increased understanding of the benefits associated with same-sex marriages.

Studies indicate that same-sex marriages increase the percentage of adoptions in society (Becker 1010). In same-sex marriages, it would be costly for the couple to have a child of their own. Therefore, adoption remains a viable alternative option for having a child. In this regard, same-sex marriages help to increase adoption rates that enable most of the children in foster homes to get new parents that can be able to give them a better life. Foster homes provide for the children but up to a certain limit.

In this case, Becker (1013) indicates that adoption comes in handy in that it helps to give the children a new lease of life that would help them to achieve greater heights unlike before. Therefore, same-sex marriage should be legal because it significantly increases adoption rates. On top of that, same-sex marriage should be legal in order to promote equal rights (Gaines and James 554). In this case, the principle of civil partnership remains the major deterrent to same-sex marriages. Unlike marriage that is an institution for celebrating love and commitment, civil partnership is a legal contract.

Marriage is personal. Therefore, a person should have a personal choice on whom they should love or marry. In the bid to ensure equality, Browne and Stuart indicate that similar choices should be available to the people that favor same-sex marriage and those that support opposite-sex marriage. For instance, offering a civil partnership to mixed-race discrimination would race discrimination. On the same note, banning same-sex marriage amounts to discrimination (Browne and Stuart). The CSC (Connecticut Supreme Court) examined the introduction of the civil unions in 2008 by the state in the bid to ban same-sex marriage.

The Court's findings indicated that the introduction violated the constitutional equality guarantee. According to the Court, same-sex couples faced rampant discrimination and the newly formed union did not embody the status and significance associated with marriage (Gaines and James 560). Therefore, it concluded that the segregation of a same-sex couple constituted cognizable harm. The inequity is observable when it comes to bisexual people. In most countries, the current law allows bisexual people to fall in love with a person from their gender of choice (Gaines and James 562).

However, the law seems to bend when it comes to legalizing same-sex marriages. In order to ensure equality, same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Marriage is borne out of love (Becker 1015). Just like in traditional and religious contexts, a man marries a woman out of love. Just like opposite-sex marriage, same-sex marriage is borne out of love. A study conducted by Pew Research Center indicated that same-sex couples cited love and companions as the primary drivers for getting married.

Love is a natural feeling that cannot be controlled by by-laws (Masci et al.) The government has no right to define who to or not who to love. Marriage is an institution for celebrating love and companionship. Therefore, controlling the people that should get married based on gender implies that the state is turning marriage into a union of genders rather than love. The couple reserves the sole right to decide their partner. Becker (1017) indicates that the government should not use a civil partnership to force people into relationships that may later turn out to be catastrophic because they were not built on love and trust.

Marriage should solely remain a personal decision and a union borne out of love. As a result, same-sex marriage should be legal.