Sex and Relationship - Essay Example

Discussion on Article concerning Sex and Relationships The article in question comes from the New York Journal News and it has been written by Keith Eddings under the title, ‘Panel outlines challenges to gay rights, as well as successes’. The article summarizes a report of a discussion panel that focused on the issues faced by the gay community, particularly their position on why homosexuals should be allowed to enter into a contract of marriage just as other couples may be allowed to do so (Eddings, 2007).

The modern world has come to terms with many differences such as gender, race and social status. These are often no longer connected to how a person is seen in legal or individual terms but some differences still divide people and cause debate where there should be none. Homosexuality or being gay is one such position where unwanted discrimination or even harassment may be conducted against a person. As discussed by the article, relationships between gay individuals should have as much legal value as they hold between straight couples.

Denying this right becomes a negative influence on the relationships between gay couples. I feel that such positions are not only harmful for the gay individual against whom they are committed but also against the social setup since they harm the interests of a just and free society.What society needs to create is a legal structure for rights regarding homosexuals because the current situation offers protections to gays only pertaining to their individual rights but does allow them equal rights when it comes to creating a family.

Heterosexual couples can adopt children much easier than homosexual couples. The tax/economic benefits given to heterosexual couples are much better than the ones awarded to a homosexual couple (IGLHRC, 2006). Of course, the single cause of the discrimination between the two sets of couples is their personal sexual lives. If our country remains divided on the issue and continues to enforce a pattern of discrimination against homosexual unions in marriage, we would only be reducing our total output as a country.

By creating lesser human beings in legal terms and not allowing gay unions in marriage or gay rights as groups of individuals, the law makers of today would create problems for the society of tomorrow. There may not be an armed resistance movement, but the country would certainly be treating some of its citizens as lesser than the others. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights as given by the United Nations declares as its first article that, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood (UN, 1998, Pg. 1)”. By disallowing gay marriage, we are taking away the right for a person to be in a legal relationship which is certainly something that we have to accept. In conclusion, I feel that the arguments of the article have merit and it is time that we accept that freedom means freedom for all and not just for those who dominate our political and social organizations. Word Count: 573Works CitedEddings, K.

2007, ‘Panel outlines challenges to gay rights, as well as successes’, [Online] from New York Journal News website: http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070720/NEWS02/707200389 IGLHRC. 2006, ‘The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission’, [Online] from IGLHRC.org website: http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/UN. 1998, ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’, [Online] from the United Nations Website: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html