Gay Marriage Essay, Research Paper

Max and his “sweetheart” have been together nearly five years, longer than a lot of people their age. They’re good to each other: they call each other pet names, they quit smoking together, and their favorite activity is cooking. A year ago, they moved into their very own house. It’s outside of the city, but it has a yard big enough for their two dogs to roam, and for them to spend quality time together. Once a friend asked Max how long-term gay relationships are different than the heterosexual kind. “There’s nothing different,” he replied. “You fight over the same things, you work things out, you make up the same way.” There is, of course, one major difference. Despite the fact that they live together and own a home together, Max and his boyfriend can only seek legal confirmation of their so-called “marriage” in one state Vermont. (http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/ axellute/ssm.htm) If one of them were to get sick, there could be questions about who makes the medical decisions. Formal adoptions are nearly impossible. Even a family gym membership is out of the question at most health clubs. So the big question remains unanswered: is gay marriage something we as a nation should fight for, or should we resist the concept altogether? This question could possibly be the next who killed J.F.K?

Every culture has defined marriage differently. Every age has changed the way people are related by law and custom. Marriage in the West used to mean that the husband completely owned his wife and his children. Now, a wife is no longer property and may freely bring charges against a husband for unwanted abuse. The word marriage has two major meanings. The first is a civil, legal status- the other is a religious or social status. It is important to remember that this separation is critical to understanding the issues involved with the struggle for equal treatment in terms of being political. From the civil, legal point of view, issues such as public rights can arise if gay or lesbian couples are forbidden to marry. Despite the possibilities of issues such as this arising, there is only one country in the world that extends equal marriage rights to gays and lesbians; Cambodia. (http://wizard.ucr.edu/praxis/wwwboard/messages/58.html)

There has been talk of the Netherlands opening up same-sex marriages in 2001, and a few other European countries allow gays and lesbians to apply for registered partnership. The legality aspect is only the beginning of why many believe that same-sex marriages should be allowed. Most supporters argue that because of Article IV of the United States Constitution, there is no reason why neither the federal government nor any state government should restrict marriage in a same-sex relationship. Supporters argue the legal aspects of marriage, suggesting marriage extends far beyond love. Aside from societal and religious conventions, marriage entails legally imposed financial responsibility and legally authorized financial benefits. (http://www.pe.net/ bidstrup/marriage.htm) A highly recognized national group called the Washington State Chapter National Organization for Women has several proposals for same-sex marriage. The organization recently published the following:

Attacks on same-sex marriage have become the leading anti-lesbian and gay strategy. Despite a recent study showing 71% of lesbians are in committed relationships, same-sex marriage is not legal in any state. Nevertheless, radical extremists are using this issue to divide the country and target lesbians and gay men for discrimination. Organized opposition to this attempt to legalize discrimination is essential.

*The US Supreme Court has declared marriage a fundamental right under the constitution.

*Without the legal right to marry, same-sex couples do not have rights like family health coverage, medical and bereavement leave, child custody, tax benefits and pension plans.

*Tradition can’t justify discriminating. Not long ago, marriage was traditionally limited to members of the same race and religion, and married women were virtually the legal property of their husbands.

*Civil and religious marriage are two separate institutions, Civil marriage binds a couple in a legal contract consisting of obligations and benefits.

*Legalizing same-sex civil marriage will not require any religion to legalize or recognize these marriages.

*The rights that married people take for granted, such as the ability to make medical decisions for an incapacitated spouse, are denied to committed lesbian and gay couples. (www.NOW.com)

In closing, the law allows convicted murderers, child abusers, and rapists to marry, but the law doesn t approve of same-sex marriages. Is this legally right?

Even though the legal aspect of same-sex marriages plays a major role in society, many would agree that the religious aspects of the issue would be the deciding factor in legalization. Most Christian denominations, for example, look upon marriage as being ordained by God, modeled after God s creation of the first couple, Adam and Eve. To most Christians, the relationship between two spouses is symbolic to the relationship between Christ and His church. Therefore, marriage is a union between a man and a woman. By bestowing the privileges and responsibilities of marriage on gays and lesbians, the church, as a whole, is weakened.

While religions have various differing views toward sexual orientation, many religions offer ceremonial blessings to same-sex couples. They do so because they recognize that all couples need social and spiritual support to be productive and survive in a healthy way. And these churches consider all congregates to be members-in-good-standing, regardless of orientation (www.religioustolerance.org).

I hear both positions of the issue involving same-sex marriages. I agree with aspects from both sides. Society s view of marriage has changed rapidly in previous years. Nearly a century ago, marriage was for life. Men and women married early and lived together until death did they part. Authority over the woman was officially handed down from father to son at the marriage ceremony. Today, however, times are different. Most committed couples live together before marriage. Hundreds of women have children outside of marriages every year. Many couples marry for financial reasons in lieu of love. All of these changes over previous years have caused society to alter how they may define marriage. Maybe the idea of same-sex marriages is simply one more variation of the definition. For one reason or another, I can not grasp this new variation. I have been raised in a church that has taught me that men marry women and women marry men. In my opinion, gay and lesbian marriage is wrong. I believe that people have the right to be happy, but happiness can be attained in other ways other than marrying the girl next door.