Mitt Romney, Gay Marriage and Abortion - Essay Example

Abortion and gay marriage are two of the most important moral issues in American society which makes Mitt Romney controversial. It should be noted that his position on the aforementioned issues has been constantly challenged and has remained unstable up to this date.

Romney has always advocated equality and non-discrimination thereby protecting the rights of homosexuals in society. During the 1994 campaign, he won the support of Log Cabin Club which supports the benefits for gay couples. However, Romney takes a conservative view by strongly opposing same-sex marriage. He stresses that “Like me, the great majority of Americans wish both to preserve the traditional definition of marriage and to oppose bias and intolerance directed toward gays and lesbians” (Gallagher 5). In his statements, his main reason for this opposition is the fact that marriage is not for adult benefits but for the nurturing and development of children. He argues that a home with a male father and a female mother is the best setting to raise a family. Though he generally communicates his disfavor of same-sex marriage, there are also times when he softens his tone on the issue recognizing the need to respect modern families that come in many forms (Greenberger 1).

Currently, Mitt Romney refers to himself as a pro-life politician who strongly resists abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is threatened. In 1994, Romney proclaimed that abortion has been legalized after a family friend died of illegal abortion. This is not the case in 2002 when the politician stresses that the case of abortion is a deeply personal one and that “women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government’s” (Mitt). This view on abortion has been drastically altered after discussing stem cell research with a researcher at Harvard University Douglas Melton. His stance has been more an issue in the morality of killing a living individual.

The above discussion illustrates the changing stance of Mitt Romney on the issues of gay marriage and abortion. It becomes apparent his position is affected by his personal experiences. Even though he establishes a general standpoint, he seems to revise them to balance it with the interests of those opposing his views. Read More