Legalizing Gay Marriage Essay

United Because of Love, Kept Apart Because of the Government
Did you know, as of July 20, 2011, gay marriage remains legal in the following states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and the District of Columbia? Thirty states have constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. Did you know, Massachusetts, which became the first state to legalize gay marriage on May 17, 2004, had the lowest divorce rate in the country in 2008? Its divorce rate declined 21% between 2003 and 2008. These facts are just a minor part of why I personally am pro- gay marriage. The main reason I feel so strongly about gay marriage, is simply, because I believe that no one can tell you whom to love. Who one loves is his or her right and really should not directly affect anyone else. Seeing how gay marriage has grown to be so controversial and growing up in the community I grew up in, I strongly believe that gay marriage should be legalized to properly unite those who are already united by love.
Before I continue, I think it is important to know a brief history about gay marriage. When Marcia Hams and Susan Shepherd cut into their wedding cake at city hall in Cambridge, Mass., on May 17, 2004, the became the first same-sex couple in the U.S. to complete a state-sanctioned marriage application. When these two were united, they probably hoped their union would open the doors for gay couples across the country. Instead, this couple’s marriage opened the doors to a magnanimous debate over the issue.
Same-sex marriage has a short but controversial history in the U.S. It first came to the nation’s attention in a 1993. In Hawaii, a case in which judges found that the state's constitution required a compelling reason not to extend to gays equal marriage rights. The ruling prompted Congress to push through the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prevented homosexual couples from receiving benefits traditionally conferred by marriage. Since then, states have scrambled to define their own stance on the issue, in some cases recognizing civil unions or domestic partnerships. Gay-marriage supporters have reached some victories. In 2003, a goal was reached when the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that gays had equal marriage rights. But there is still much more work to be done. Twenty-seven states have passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, while just 10 have granted rights to homosexual couples.
In today’s society, there are numerous controversial issues going on in the world. One that has recently been the topic of many of my personal discussions is gay marriage. One thing I have learned about those who don’t believe in gay marriage is that these individuals do not know all of the facts. Gay couples are denied significant rights when they are not allowed to marry, and this results in injustices. Basic rights that are denied to gay couples include access to a spouse's medical, life and disability insurance, hospital visitation and medical decision-making privileges, workers' compensation survivor benefits, spousal benefits under annuity and retirement plans, the right to refuse to testify against one's spouse, and many others. All of these rights have to do with discrimination. Discrimination occurs when someone is unjustly denied some benefit or opportunity. These instances of discrimination based on the preference for legally married couples effect many people negatively when they least expect it. One fact that I found disturbing and interesting is that in all the states that have banned gay marriage, a significant other of a loved one in the hospital is not allowed in the room under any circumstances, because they are not recognized as family. For a gay couple that is denied of the unity of marriage, this could be a devastating and unfair situation. I could not even imagine being faced with that situation.
In my lifetime, I have encountered many issues where people took different sides and didn’t agree. Usually I can see points from both sides that I can level with. As for gay marriage, I cannot fathom why someone would ever be against it. Growing up I have had friends and relatives who were gay and I got to see close up how judgmental, disrespectful, and narrow-minded people can be towards people who share love with the same sex. I grew up in a very conservative “upper-class” community where everybody goes with one belief and everything else is not accepted. That being said, people in my community were not so fond of people who were out of the box and tried to be different. Usually, those people ended up being discriminated against, looked down upon, and constantly teased. People who were gay were put into that category. I always strongly disagreed with what most of my community went along with. Especially when it came to gay people. I believe and always will believe that gay marriage should be legalized. Not everyone has to accept it, but it should be something that is allowed so that we can bring two people who share love together as one. Everyone deserves the unity of marriage.
With these facts and opinions of mine, I hope that I have gotten my point through to readers. The only way to achieve equality for these members of our society is to fight to create change. In my opinion, opinions are changed one person at a time. I hope that one day we can help give same sex partners the wonderful gift of uniting through marriage, a gift we all deserve.