should gays be allowed to marry Essays - LGBT History,

Should Gays Be Allowed To Marry Marriage is a commitment of private love between two people, yet homosexuals have been denied the right to make their marriage recognized in 45 of 50 states in America. The people that are against gay marriage believe in protecting traditional marriage between a man and a woman. They argue that homosexuality isn?t natural; therefore it shouldn?t be accepted in our society. Also, they say that a child can be raised best in an environment with a mother and a father, and that having gay parents will result in their child being gay. Many religions, like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, deny homosexuality, and since marriage is a religious ceremony, many believe that it would be wrong to legalize homosexual marriage because it goes against its principles. Also, people argue that marriage is mainly for reproduction, and the reasons for marriage are not fulfilled within a gay marriage Homosexuals should be allowed to marry because the disallowance of it violates their constitutional rights. Marriage is an institution long recognized by our government under the right to pursue happiness, and denying that right to any couple, regardless of gender, is unconstitutional. This argument, though, is not disputed. In fact, none of the arguments raised in opposition to the allowance of homosexual marriages takes into account the constitutional rights afforded to all humans. The arguments are only in relation to the possible repercussions (real or imagined) of granting these rights. Our nation was built and has always been based on the fundamental principles of freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence and through our Constitution. The opponents of homosexual marriage need to remember what freedom means to America, and understand the significance of setting a precedent that denies that freedom. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the institution of marriage is one of the rights guaranteed to all Americans by our Constitution. Banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory. Marriage is a basic human right and should not be denied to any individual. At various times in U.S. history, other minorities According to the Human Rights Campaign, the 2000 Census reported 3.1 million people in the United States of America were living in same sex relationships. These citizens reside in 99.3 percent of the counties across the nation and it is estimated that between 1 and 9 million children are being raised by gay, bisexual or lesbian parents (Human Rights Campaign). These individuals are American citizens protected by the United States Constitution. Article 14.1 of the United States Constitution entitles all citizens equal protection under the law and forbids states from enacting laws which deny citizens? rights. Denying same-sex couples the right to marry, denies them equal protection under the law. Therefore, same-sex marriage should be legalized. Denying people who are homosexuals, the opportunity to marry is a form of minority discrimination. Marriage, in itself, is the highest level of commitment between any couple, regardless of their sexual orientation. Marriage is a public contract between two individuals who choose to be together. In response to the attempts at trying to recognize same sex marriage, the federal government passed the Defense of Marriage Act in September, 1996. This act was written in attempt to permit the federal government and all 50 states to deny recognition of gay marriage performed in any other state. DOMA also permits the federal government to continue denying same-sex couples hundreds of legal rights and responsibilities that come with civil marriage. This is an infringement on a person s OWN RIGHTS. This deprivation of the right to love someone and share the rest of your life with them is just as bad as claiming blacks are inferior to whites, that Protestants are lower than Catholics. Sharon Kowalski and Karen Thompson shared a home in Minnesota and exchanged rings to show their commitment to each other. However, their relationship was not legally recognized. When Sharon was seriously injured in a car accident, the hospital refused to allow Karen to visit her. Karen was denied any information about Sharon s condition and was not allowed to make any decisions about the treatment of her loved one. She waited in anguish for hours in the waiting room not even knowing whether