Gay Marriage: Moral or Immoral?
RUNNING HEAD: GAY MARRIAGE 1
Gay Marriage
Moral or Immoral?
William Hadley
SOC 1120: Intro. to Ethics and Social Responsibility
Christine Villasenor
July 11, 2011
Ashford University
GAY MARRIAGE 2 Marriage has been an important institution throughout the centuries. In the United States, most adults are married and live with their spouses. (Marriage. (2010) Credoreference.com) It is common knowledge, however, that the number of “traditional” marriages have declined in the last century and same sex marriages have increased over the last few decades. (Marriage. (2010). Credoreference.com) Homosexuality is attraction to people of the same sex. (Weinberg, World Book. July 11, 2011) Homosexual men are commonly called gay and homosexual women are known as lesbians. Due to the rise in same sex relationships, gay marriages, or same sex marriages, have increased significantly as an alternative lifestyle in society as we know it today. This is an ethical issue that leaves much room for debate. There are many people who are opposed to this “type of relationship” today, however, there are also many people who are impartial and choose not to pass judgment upon others that would choose this lifestyle. Gay marriage, in my opinion, is not natural and I do not agree with this type of lifestyle. Ethically speaking, the theory of deontology could be used to explain why this act may be considered “morally wrong” to some and “acceptable” to others. Deontology is a theory that looks at the reason for which an act is done and the rule to which one chooses to act. This theory does not deny that actions have consequences but rather the consequences of this act should not have any bearing in one’s moral evaluation of such an act. (Mosser, (2010). para. 1.7) Relativism is the idea that
Gay Marriage
Moral or Immoral?
William Hadley
SOC 1120: Intro. to Ethics and Social Responsibility
Christine Villasenor
July 11, 2011
Ashford University
GAY MARRIAGE 2 Marriage has been an important institution throughout the centuries. In the United States, most adults are married and live with their spouses. (Marriage. (2010) Credoreference.com) It is common knowledge, however, that the number of “traditional” marriages have declined in the last century and same sex marriages have increased over the last few decades. (Marriage. (2010). Credoreference.com) Homosexuality is attraction to people of the same sex. (Weinberg, World Book. July 11, 2011) Homosexual men are commonly called gay and homosexual women are known as lesbians. Due to the rise in same sex relationships, gay marriages, or same sex marriages, have increased significantly as an alternative lifestyle in society as we know it today. This is an ethical issue that leaves much room for debate. There are many people who are opposed to this “type of relationship” today, however, there are also many people who are impartial and choose not to pass judgment upon others that would choose this lifestyle. Gay marriage, in my opinion, is not natural and I do not agree with this type of lifestyle. Ethically speaking, the theory of deontology could be used to explain why this act may be considered “morally wrong” to some and “acceptable” to others. Deontology is a theory that looks at the reason for which an act is done and the rule to which one chooses to act. This theory does not deny that actions have consequences but rather the consequences of this act should not have any bearing in one’s moral evaluation of such an act. (Mosser, (2010). para. 1.7) Relativism is the idea that
References: 1) American Psychiatric Association. Healthy Minds. Healthy Lives. Retrieved from http://www.healthyminds.org/More-Info-For/GayLesbianBisexuals.aspx 2) Carter, David. (June 1, 2005). Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution. Published by St. Martin’s Press. 3) Marriage. (2010). In Encyclopedia of American Studies. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/jhueas/marriage 4) Mosser, K. (2010). Introduction to Ethics and Social Responsibility. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu 5) Pitas, Jeannine. (2010). History of the Gay Rights Movement in the U.S. Copyright ( Elliot Essman. Retrieved from http://www.lifeintheusa.com/people/gaypeople.htm 6) The Skeptic’s Annotated Bible. Retrieved from http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/gay/long.htm 7) Thomas, June. (June 28, 2011). The Gay Bar: Why the gay rights movement was born in one. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/id/2297606/ 8) Weinberg, Martin S. “Homosexuality.” World Book Advanced, World Book, 2011.