The Debate of Same Sex Marriage

Contextual Background
Marriage is traditionally viewed as the legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife. But what happens when those two people are two men or two women? Until recently, homosexual couples could not legally marry in any state in the United States. A recent series of events sought to change that. The Supreme Court's ruling in Lawrence v. Texas invalidated a Texas law that made sodomy a crime and affirmed the privacy rights of homosexuals. In November 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled the state cannot deny marriage licenses to homosexual couples. Following the Massachusetts decision, gay marriages occurred across the nation from San Francisco to New York. Former President George W. Bush responded by calling on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. In May, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to grant legalized same-sex marriages. Currently, there are more than a half a dozen nations that have legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, including Canada, Spain and South Africa. Supporters of same-sex marriage say gays and lesbians have a right to marry and receive the same marriage and legal benefits, such as medical coverage and pension rights, as heterosexual couples. Opponents of same-sex marriage say marriage is between a man and a woman and view anything else as morally wrong. They argue that allowing homosexual couples to marry is unconstitutional and would destroy the sanctity of marriage. The gay rights movement in the United States can be traced back to the Stonewall Riots that occurred following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June, 1969. Police raids on gay bars were commonplace, but on this occasion the gay and lesbian patrons fought back and sparked days of protests. The Stonewall Riots marked the beginning of a political movement for gay rights during a time when it was illegal to have homosexual sex in all states except for Illinois. Between 1969 and 1974, the number of gay organizations in the country swelled from fewer than 50 to nearly a thousand.

Pro Argument
Proponents argue that same-sex couples should have access to the same marriage benefits and public acknowledgment enjoyed by heterosexual couples and that prohibiting gay marriage is unconstitutional discrimination. Christian groups who argue for same-sex marriage tend to believe that lesbian and gay people were created as such by God and should have the same rights as others. Many arguments in defense of same sex marriage include the matter of basic civil and equal rights. Same-sex marriage supporters make several arguments in support of their position. Some argue that same-sex marriage should be allowed because same-sex marriage extends a civil right to a minority group. The leading associations of psychological, psychiatric, medical, and social work professionals in the United States have said that claims that the legal recognition of marriage for same sex couples undermines the institution of marriage and harms children is inconsistent with the scientific evidence which supports the conclusions. Researchers have also found that homosexuality is a normal expression of human sexuality and is not chosen. Gay and lesbian people form stable, committed relationships essentially equivalent to heterosexual relationships. Research indicates that same-sex parents are no less capable than opposite-sex parents to raise children, and that the children of same-sex parents are no less psychologically healthy and well-adjusted than children of opposite-sex parents. The body of research strongly supports the conclusion that discrimination by the federal government between married same-sex couples and married opposite-sex couples in granting benefits unfairly stigmatizes same-sex couples. The research also contradicts the stereotype-based rationales advanced to support passage of DOMA that the Equal Protection Clause was designed to prohibit. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, former vice presidents Dick Cheney and Al Gore, and current Vice President Joe Biden have voiced their support for legal recognition, as have former first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. In May 2012, President Barack Obama became the first President to support same-sex marriage while still in office.

Con Argument
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. Those who are against it argue that same-sex relationships are immoral, against God's will and subvert the goal of human sexuality, which is to produce children. Opponents of same-sex marriage in the United States ground their arguments on parenting concerns, religious concerns, concerns that changes to the definition of marriage would lead to the inclusion of polygamy or incest, and other intellectual ideas expressed in natural law theory. The Southern Baptist Convention says that extending marriage rights to same-sex couples would undercut the conventional purpose of marriage. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention, and National Organization for Marriage argue that children do best when raised by a mother and father, and that legalizing same-sex marriage is, therefore, contrary to the best interests of children. Other arguments against same-sex marriage are based upon concerns that the process of redefining the institution would be a "Pandora's box". Stanley Kurtz of the Weekly Standard has written that same-sex marriage would eventually lead to the legalization of polygamy and polyamory, or group marriage, in the United States. The most successful tactic to prevent legalization has been state constitutional amendments against same-sex marriages. The funding of the amendment referendum campaigns has been an issue of great dispute. In February 2012, the National Organization for Marriage vowed to spend $250,000 in Washington legislative races to defeat the Republican state senators who voted for same-sex marriage.

Your Argument Same sex marriage is a human right, thus anyone can choose to marry the person they love. In the United States our Civil Rights protect our freedom of religion, by preventing our homosexual brothers and sister from the institution of marriage we are depriving them from their right of religious freedom. An argument against same sex marriage is that homesexulity is not accepted under God, however not every American exercises the same religion and do not praise the same God. One person’s beliefs and spirituality should not affect another personal life thus America need to stop imposing their religion on issues such as same sex marriage. Equality should apply to all, and those who choose to marry someone of the same sex should have the same rights as our heterosexual citizens. I believe that same sex marriage should be accessible to every single American who chooses to marry a person of the same sex. Religion should not be used to deprive other Americans of their rights, everyone should be free to exercise their own religion and marry the person that they love. It is morally wrong to prevent to individuals who love each other from marriage simple because they are of the same sex. As studies have proven people of the same sex are not any less qualify to have a great healthy marriage and raise children, therefore this should not be a decisive argument.