Same-Sex Marriage

            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.

•           Barabak, Mark Z. "A Faster Track for Gay Rights." Los Angeles Times. 21 May 2012:                              A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Sep 2012.

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