Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized
Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized
Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized
In the United States, same-sex couples did not have the right to legally marry one an other until 2004. “Massachusetts began to allow same-sex marriage for residents of that state... Legal marriage also carries the intangible but envy important benefit of conveying to the world that the couple involved is truly a family” (Andryszewski, 2008, p. 8). Yet, as society places an increasingly high emphasis on basic human rights, and becomes more open-minded in terms of marriages, same-sex marriage has drawn attention and become a hot topic for debate. As of Nov. 12, 2014, 33 states in the United States have legalized same-sex marriage, among which twenty-two are by court decision, eight are by state legislature and three are by popular vote. In the meantime, seventeen states have continued to resist abolishing the ban on gay marriage, as stated in both Constitutional Amendment and State Law (Anonymous, 2009). Doubtlessly, there are proponents and opponents when dealing with the legalization of same-sex marriage. Advocates argue, “same-sex couples should have access to the same marriage benefits and public acknowledgment enjoyed by heterosexual couples. They also argue that prohibiting gay marriage is unconstitutional discrimination” (ProCon.org, 2008), while “opponents argue that altering the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman will further weaken a threatened institution and that legalizing gay marriage is a slippery slope that may lead to polygamous and interspecies marriages” (ProCon.org, 2008). Both supporters and opponents of homosexual marriage have sufficient reasons to support their point of views, as their arguments are cogent in nature. Thus, since both sides have arguments that are rooted in logical reasoning, it is hard to assess from the initial opinion which side is correct. Same-sex marriage should be legalized because it is a
Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized
In the United States, same-sex couples did not have the right to legally marry one an other until 2004. “Massachusetts began to allow same-sex marriage for residents of that state... Legal marriage also carries the intangible but envy important benefit of conveying to the world that the couple involved is truly a family” (Andryszewski, 2008, p. 8). Yet, as society places an increasingly high emphasis on basic human rights, and becomes more open-minded in terms of marriages, same-sex marriage has drawn attention and become a hot topic for debate. As of Nov. 12, 2014, 33 states in the United States have legalized same-sex marriage, among which twenty-two are by court decision, eight are by state legislature and three are by popular vote. In the meantime, seventeen states have continued to resist abolishing the ban on gay marriage, as stated in both Constitutional Amendment and State Law (Anonymous, 2009). Doubtlessly, there are proponents and opponents when dealing with the legalization of same-sex marriage. Advocates argue, “same-sex couples should have access to the same marriage benefits and public acknowledgment enjoyed by heterosexual couples. They also argue that prohibiting gay marriage is unconstitutional discrimination” (ProCon.org, 2008), while “opponents argue that altering the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman will further weaken a threatened institution and that legalizing gay marriage is a slippery slope that may lead to polygamous and interspecies marriages” (ProCon.org, 2008). Both supporters and opponents of homosexual marriage have sufficient reasons to support their point of views, as their arguments are cogent in nature. Thus, since both sides have arguments that are rooted in logical reasoning, it is hard to assess from the initial opinion which side is correct. Same-sex marriage should be legalized because it is a
References: Andedrson, E. (2012). A Defense of the “Sterility Objection” to the New Natural Lawyers’ Argument against Same-Sex Marriage. Ethical Theory & Moral Practice, 16(4), 759–775. Retrieved November 12, 2014. Andryszewski, T. (2008). Same-sex marriage: Moral wrong or civil right? Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books. Goetting, N. (2013). Gay Marriage is a Fundamental Right. National Lawyers Guild Review, 70(3), 137-144. Retrieved from http://heinonline.org. November 10, 2014. Lannutti, P. (2008). Attractions and Obstacles While Considering Legally Recognized Same-Sex Marriage. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 4(2), 245-264. Retrieved November 16, 2014, from Academic Search Premier. ProCon.org. (2008). Pro & Con Arguments: "Should Gay Marriage Be Legal?"? Retrieved from http://gaymarriage.procon.org/