Legalizing
same-sex marriage is a topic that many people have varying opinions. Same-sex
marriage isn’t something new. It has been around for years and only recently
has become more controversial. Politics
and religious beliefs both play main roles in this debate. There have been
several protests supporting different views. Same-sex marriage should not be
legal because marriage is a sacrament within the church. Gay couples however should have the right to
form Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships.
Same-sex
marriages have been debated for years. The first ever same-sex marriage took
place in San Francisco in 2004. California is the only state that gives the
most rights to gay people. However, Washington D.C., New Jersey, Connecticut,
Maine and Hawaii let Gay couples form Domestic Partnerships and Civil Unions.
Civil Unions or Domestic Partnerships allow some of the legal rights that
married couples enjoy (Recent Events).Many nations like Canada, South Africa
and Spain allow same-sex marriage (Pro Quest Staff).
In
the church, marriage is defined as a man and women coming together to produce a
family. Most republicans, including Mitt Romney, want to amend the constitution
so same-sex marriage will never be legal (Jonathon Roach). While President
George Bush was in office he wanted to pass an amendment banning same-sex
marriage too (Pro Quest Staff). Father Marcos Gonzalez, a priest at a Roman
Catholic Parish in California, explains “The church says that homosexuals
should be treated with love and respect, but redefining the natural and divine
institution of marriage is simply something we are not able to do.” Most people
who don’t agree in same-sex marriage believe it’s wrong and unconstitutional.
Same-Sex
marriage isn’t just about the two people in the relationship, it also involves
their children. Many gay couples choose
to adopt or use a surrogate. Jonathon Roach explains,
“Children do better raised by their
biological parents.” One researcher’s opinion is that children growing up in a
household with gay parents may be confused about their sexual identity (Frank,
Nathaniel). “Researcher Mark Regnerus explains, ‘The research clearly reveals
that children appear most apt to succeed well as adults--on multiple counts and
across a variety of domains--when they spend their entire childhood with their
married mother and father.’ Regnerus says that his study shows stark
differences between such children and those with gay parents: the latter are
more likely to be unemployed, consider suicide, use drugs, have an STD and fall
victim to sexual abuse.”(Frank,Nathaniel)
People
who are pro same-sex marriage have strong opinions too. They believe that
marriage is something that everyone should be able to do regardless of their sex.
Jonathon Roach gave a good argument in his article explaining, “ I think the
best definition of marriage is the one that most married people sign up for in
their vows: "To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for
worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, until death do us
part." Extending the boundaries to include gay couples does not weaken
that definition--it reinforces it. And to throw away the many social benefits
that gay marriage provides because there is a single function that it can't
perform is perverse.” A crucial thing that has given same-sex marriage
advocates an edge is pop culture. On TV shows such as Will and Grace and Modern
Family it deals with gay couples. Advocates believe that these shows influence
Americans to look at this issue in a different way (Barabak, Mark Z).
A
solution to this debate is something has already been happening. Civil Unions
or Domestic Partnerships are allowed in several States so far. They give Gay
couples most of the legal rights that married couples have (Recent Events). Many
states already allow them and the number of Domestic Partnerships and Civil
Unions has been increasing.
In
conclusion, this debate is something that continues. In the future there will
be a lot of decisions for the American people to make on this issue, especially
in this election year.
Works Cited
“Recent Events in the Debate over
Same-Sex Marriage (sidebar).” Issues & Controversies On File:n.pag.Issues
& Controversies. Facts On File News Services,13 Apr.2007. Web. 5 hSept.2012.
http://www.2facts.com/article /ib120211.
Rauch, Jonathan. "5 Myths About Gay
Marriage." Washington Post. 13 May 2012: B.2. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Sep 2012.
ProQuest
Staff. "At Issue: Same-Sex Marriage." ProQuest LLC. 2012: n.pag. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Sep
2012.
Frank,
Nathaniel. "Dad and Dad vs. Mom and Dad." Los Angeles Times. 13 Jun
2012: A.15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web.
14 Sep 2012.
and died June 5, 1910. He went by the pen name
