The Debate over Same-Sex Marriages - Essay Example

Gay Marriage Same-sex marriages have been an issue of controversy and debate specifically regarding the laws permitting same-sex marriages. This is due to the vast disagreement amongst the different schools of thought. Same sex marriages always lead to a national debate where a group disagrees with the concept on the basis of religious, cultural or social grounds while the opposing groups retaliate by discussing the base of marriage being a loving relationship rather than the gender of the partners. The arguments favouring marriage invoke the basic right of equality for every individual while the opposing school of thought debates that same sex marriage will destroy the basis of our culture and society. Some states in the United States have passed the law permitting gay marriages which include Washington, Minnesota, Iowa, New York, California, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, Vermont and District of Columbia. Apart from these states, there are 10 states in United States which allow same sex unions and partnerships. On the other hand, 33 states limit same sex marriages (Ahuja, Barnes and Chow). It has been observed through national opinions that the overall opnions regarding Gay marriages is changing and people who believe in allowing the marriage has increased. Fifty-eight percent og the Americans now believe that it should be legal while thirty-six percent thing that it should be illegal (Ahuja, Barnes, Chow and Rivero). To understand the national debate over gay marriage it is crucial to acknowlege both sides of the arguments, comprehend the opposing views and also study the refutations to the oppositions. The concept of homosexuality is the most controversial in United States when compared to the rest of the Western World. General surveys showed that United States was considered as the least tolerant nation to the notion of homosexuality. When compared to Spain, Germany, France and Britain, less number of people favoured of the acceptance of homosexuality as a part of the society. A large proportion of conservatives in America are not tolerant when it comes to gay marriages. It is questionable and debatable that why the conservatives of America are least tolerant to gay marriages or gay relationships when compared to the rest of the Western nations. The modern norms of tolerance are not followed in the United States, while they are being accepted in other nations of the West. A major explanation is that the conservative America is mainly where a fundamentalist approach is followed regarding Christianity. Religious fundamentalists are in strong favor of the highly traditional patriarchal family system and want it to be preserved in the United States. Homosexuality is considered as a potential threat to the fundamentalist religious conservatives as it would destroy the foundations of family. According to the religious beliefs, one of the primary goals of family is conception or procreation and homosexualtiy imperils the rights of conception in the family (Jouet). They consider gay marriage as an “assault on the family” and hence they oppose the recognition of gay marriages as a part of a “normal society”. When looked from the eyes of a patriarchal tradionalist, it seems logical and understandable (Jouet). Apart from the religious oppositions, there are several other points which are arguable regarding gay marriages. A major reason for the state to be involved in the gay marriage legislation is because of children. Gay marriages and hetrosexual marriages differ on the basis that children can result from one and not from the other type of marriage. And this is a strong association with the marriage laws. Since not all marriages would result in children, the state would have to look again at pension rules and inhertiance matters and deal with them differently as the relationship changes to same-sex. There are some gays who, themsleves are not in favor of gay mariages because of their conservative beliefs, while others consider marriage a waste of time and energy and do not want to imitate the rules of hetrosexual marriages. There is a group of people who are not basically against gay marriages but the laws that govern it. According to Lord Dear, ex-chief constable at the House of Lords, the problem with the laws are that, the states which passed them did it in a rush and did not give enough thought and understanding to such an important and sensitive matter before implying it. He is of the view that they should be taken back and applied again through a systematic understanding of its consequences and how to handle them (Heyden and Townsend). It is important to understand that although religious conservatives can express their beliefs regarding gay marriages and can oppose it as much as they want, but they cannot act against it. Religion teaches first to respect others’ beliefs and allow the right of freedom of expression and action of their beliefs. The beliefs about abortion, gay marriages, extramarital sex can be justified through prophets or teachings of god and everyone has the right to follow them. However, no one has the right to perform actions based on those beliefs and also does not get any privilege based on any explanations given regarding the teachings of their god. Chirstians can learn from other faiths teaching tolerance such as the Muslim Council in Britain that refused to join Christian groups which were protesting against the equality bill of homosexuality. They did not refuse to join them because they were supporting the bill, but because the Muslim Council cited that everyone had their right to freedom and this freedom should not be discriminated on the basis of anything (Edgar). An important response to the opposing beliefs of Gay marriages is the fundamental human right. Gay marriage should be accepted because it exhibits the basic beliefs of individual rights. Moreover, accepting gay marriage also represents the current dominant culutural definition of marriage in the United States. Marriage in United States is not based on the start of hetrosexuality or the start of a family for children, rather it involves a set of legal arrangements and certain cultural beliefs. One approach to avoiding this debate would be avoiding the marriage word. Same sex union is a way of avoiding the debates and all the opposition. For example, in New Jersey there is no difference between the rights of the same sex civil unions and the rights of the hetrosexual marriages. For some it is a breech on the concept of family which forms the basis of society and culture. Acording to the groups favoring gay marriages, love or sexual bond is the basis of marriage or a relationship in American society. Since love provides the basis in any relationship or marriage, it does not matter whatever the trajectory of the sexual bond is in a marriage. The meaning of same-sex marriage makes sense within the culutural and social meanings of marriage in each society and so does it in the American society (Shapiro). An interesting response to the religious oppositions would be by comparing to a hypothetical ban on interracial marriage by any church. Although the church disagrees with interracial marriages and asks the government to ban them but no laws could be applied because it would be clearly unethical as the fourth amendment requires that each person has the right to enjoy equal protection under the state’s law. The protection is from all kinds of discrimination. Similarly a state cannot compel a church to recognize same sex marriages. However, it can be compelled to recognize the same sex marriages on its own. Another explanation given is that the society is against it. That is disagreeable as well, if a society is unanimous on a discrimination, that does not mean that such type of discrimination should be allowed by destroying the rights of an individual. The concept that same-sex marriage is against the concept of having children is also not true because many gay couples have children and also prove to be good parents. Secondly, having children is not the only purpose or goal of marriage, atleast in the American society. For example, if two partners in a hetrosexual couple are infertile it would be inacceptable to say that since they cannot have children, they should not be allowed to be married to each other. It can be argued that same sex couples choose to be in such a relationship but infertile couples do not. However, it has been proven curently that sexual orientation is not chosen actively rather it is present or determined from birth (Gorman 13-15). Gay marriage is subjected to national debate and by the current legislature it is obvious that not every state has allowed the gay marriages. The major school of thought opposing gay marriages are based on religious foundations of family and the goal of procreation, the social aspects of family, the sensitivity of the legislature and the philosophical basis of family and children. However, the other group strongly responds by highlighting the rights of every individual and the protection against discrimination. The idea of procreation is opposed by the notion that gay couples can adopt children and even if they do not opt to, children are not the goal of a marriage. Marriage is based on love and sentiments of the partners which is equally same in both same-sex and hetrosexual marriages. None of the beliefs can be asked to change their thinking, however, they can be taught of tolerance and acceptance of others’ rights while practicing their own beliefs without harming others. Works Cited Ahuja, Masuma, Robert Barnes, Emily Chow and Cristina Rivero. “The Changing landscape on same-sex marriage.” Washington Post. 14 Apr. 2014. Web. 3 May 2014. Edgar, David. “Christians have a right to oppose gay marriage, but not to act against it.” The Guardian. 3 Apr 2014. Web. 3 May 2014. Gorman, Benjamin A. “Brief Refutations of Some Common Arguments against Same-sex marriage.” American Philosophical Association Newsletter on Philosophy and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues (2004): 13-15. Web. 3 May 2014. Heyden, Ton and Lucy Townsend. “The People who oppose the gay marriage law.” BBC News. 26 Mar. 2014. Web. 3 May 2014. Jouet, Mugambi. “Why Gay Marriage is so controversial in America.” Huffington Post. 5 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 May 2014. Shapiro, Judith. “Proposals of "Marriage".” Huffington Post. 5 Sep. 2013. Web. 3 May 2014. Read More