What Is Marriage For - Essay Example

What Is Marriage For? In this essay, I will be arguing that marriage is an important part of our life and same - sex couples are becoming the legal part of our society, too. First, I will consider Graff's compelling argument for same-sex marriage by asking what marriage is for. Next, I will consider an objection to that argument, and finally, I will argue that Graff's original argument is immune to society’s objection. It is true that same - sex couples are becoming the legal part of our society. Nowadays they have an opportunity to struggle for their rights. One of those rights is the right to marry officially. Why is it so important? What arguments same – sex couples are giving in support of their point? Let us base the discussion on the following question: What is marriage for? Arguing the main question of this paper, in addition, it will be necessary to explain the changing meaning of marriage from 1850-1950. I agree that “the idea that marriage is some solid, immovable pillar of society”. (Graff, 2004). Same –sex couples are also the part of our society and it explains why they care about their right to get married officially. Graff gives us a short history of official relations within couples. Why I agree with the arguments of author that same-sex marriage should be legal? History shows us that the conception of the marriage has been changing sine 6 000 years ago. Graff, as a supporter of same-sex marriage, gives an example of the ancient Jews, first Christians, Romans, medieval citizens and so on (Graff, 2004). It explains us why it is sensible to talk about the legalization of the same –sex couples now. Commonly we got used to the idea that marriage means “a girl plus a boy equals a baby”. Nevertheless, the conception of the marriage is changeable. Using the historical evidence we can mention that the society should accept the modern day changes and start seeing the marriage as “a girl plus a girl equals love”. I agree with Graff’s arguments because marriage is the changeable conception and it is right to accept the modern changes that are concerning homosexual couples. Society like constant variable is trying to refute same-sex marriage, using different prohibitions, but it is impossible to stop the development of the world only refuting existence of one or other situation. It is obvious that when opponents of gay marriage are defending their point of view, they, after a ritual condemnation of homosexuality and claims that gay marriage somehow inexplicably “threaten society” and “undermine marriage”, will certainly end up with unfortunate consequences of same-sex marriage: if we allow gay marriage then people will want to legalize polygamy and marriage with pets. But arguing this position it is possible to say that same-sex marriage never results polygamy and, in fact, we can say that if same-sex marriage is good because it allows more people to get the benefits and advantages of family life, then polygamy is undesirable because it deprives some people of the benefits and advantages. Let us explain the changing meaning of marriage from 1850-1950. What was marriage for those times? First of all, the marriage was a kind of the contract that helped to share money between families. According to Graff, “the engagement feast was the moment that the two families finished negotiations and finally signed, witnessed, and notarized the marriage contract”. (Graff, 2004). Those times the marriage was not seeing by the society as a union of the two loving people. The marriage for love was the privilege of extremely poor people who had no property and some of them had no even two different cloths. Also people used the marriage as a way to share labor. Giving several examples we can say that a fisher needed a fishwife; a butcher needed a butcher wife and so on. We can see that during the longest period of time marriage was deal. This point of view and this seeing of the concept of the marriage were common for the old – day’s society. The idea that marriage could be a union of the two loving people was as unacceptable those times as the idea of the same – sex marriage nowadays. It is a good argument in support of the legalization of the lesbian and gay marriage. In the beginning of the previous twenty century the medieval concept of the marriage started changing extremely. Capitalism pushed people to change their mind. Now the society started talking about the love in marriage first. Money, labor and other limited resources became the very last point of the marriage. Mostly people are talking about money during the divorce. Nowadays, the concept of the marriage is following: first of all, it is a union of the two people in love; second, those two people are free to divorce when there is no more love in their relations; third, married couples are free to use contraceptives if they do not want to have children. Analyzing contemporary situation we can emphasize that all those changes were achieved as a result of long lasting and ugly battles with church, law and government. As a result, people in twenty first century enjoy the freedom. They are free to choose a spouse, to have or to have no children and to divorce and marry again. Among all this changes our society need to accept the right of the same – sex couples to marry officially. Why it is important? The legal marriage protects the couple in many ways. First of all, the official document that states that the two people are a family gives them a right to be a representative of the spouse for example in hospital. Discussing Graff’s arguments basing on the article we can find there two heartbreaking stories which say us how could suffer people when they are no married legally (Graff, 2004). The author says: “If I had been killed on September 11, would the woman I consider my spouse, and who relies on and makes it possible for me to earn my income, be eligible for governmental aid or my social security benefits?” (Graff, 2004). We should agree that it is a strong argument. We are not living in the medieval society anymore and it means that couples have a right to be protected by law. Same – sex couples are still on their way to protect their right legal marriage. Nevertheless, concluding our philosophical debate on marriage topic, we can state following: the concept of the marriage is changeable and the society should accept those changes that twenty first century is bringing to us. I agree with the argument about necessity to legalize same-sex marriage and I believe that many people are ready to change their mind about the question. Work cited: Graff, J. E. “What is Marriage For?” New England Law Review 38, no. 3, 2004. Read More