Professor Lori Kelley
Introduction to Sociology
March 9, 2013
Overturn DOMA
Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bill-clinton-its-time-to-overturn-doma/2013/03/07/fc184408-8747-11e2-98a3-b3db6b9ac586_story.html
“It 's time to overturn DOMA” by Bill Clinton
Published March 7
Synopsis: The article is written by former US President Bill Clinton who in 1996 signed the Defense of Marriage Act which stated that marriage is defined as being between Man and Woman. What this means for gay couples is that they cannot enjoy the benefits that heterosexual couples have such as the ability to file taxes jointly, equal family benefits when it comes to pensions and health care and other federal statuses (Clinton 2013). While same-sex marriage is legal is several states it is not recognized by the Federal Government due to the DOMA. Bill Clinton who originally signed it states that he no longer supports it and says that “DOMA and opposition to marriage equality are vestiges of just such an unfamiliar society” (Clinton 2013). While he was signing DOMA he made sure to make the statement that it should not be taken as an act of discrimination and now 17 years later in 2013 he admits that the law itself is discriminatory and that it should be overturned in court.
When it comes to same-sex marriage, I hold a very staunch position in supporting it and I claim to be an advocate for it. My opinion when it comes to same-sex marriage is that they are not harming anyone or anything by getting married and in fact I see that several same-sex couples that tend to be better parents then heterosexual married couples, such as my parents who divorced when I was in 11th grade because my mom was no longer in love my dad after 20+ years. Yet we have same-sex couples who never marry but stick by each other through the thick and the thin for as long as married couples. According to the book “Discrimination is an action—unfair treatment directed against
someone”
Bibliography: Henslin, James M. (2010) Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. (10th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon Clinton, B. (March 7, 2013). The Washington Post. In It 's time to overturn DOMA. Retrieved March 9, 2013, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bill-clinton-its-time-to-overturn-doma/2013/03/07/fc184408-8747-11e2-98a3-b3db6b9ac586_story.html.