MAYBACH
04-06-2010, 08:33 PM
Marriage between Same-Sex Partners Should Be Legalized
The adoption of same-sex marriage would afford all people, regardless of sexual orientation, the benefits currently only provided to people who have entered heterosexual marriages, say gay marriage proponents. Changes in societal attitudes have created a landscape where the definition of marriage as a partnership between one man and one woman can be effectively challenged. Gays and lesbians deserve the opportunity to have their commitments to one another recognized by the law. The struggles of gays and lesbians in this regard are analogous to those of disenfranchised groups who have fought for rights and recognition in the women's rights and civil rights movements. The extension of marriage to same-sex couples would create an opportunity for gay and lesbian couples to adopt traditionally conservative values of monogamy and familial responsibility. Children with gay parents would also benefit as a result of legal validation of same-sex marriage. Short of federal approval for same-sex marriage, individual states should be given the final say in whether they allow gays and lesbians to marry.
With the increased visibility and tolerance for the gay and lesbian culture since the 1970s, some have asked that the strict definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman be reconsidered. The Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 established the right to privacy for homosexuals. Proponents of same-sex marriage feel that ultimately legal acceptance may soon occur.
Some argue that extending the benefits afforded by marriage to the homosexual community will strengthen social stability. "Marriage is an inherently conservative institution that requires a deeper commitment to civic and family responsibilities than unmarried couples undertake," states journalist Samuel G. Freedman. "It would only benefit the country to facilitate that level of commitment for more couples, including gay and lesbian couples." John Kusch, in testimony before the Wisconsin Joint Legislative Committee, argued for same-sex marriage, citing the example of his parents who were allowed to marry legally even though the Catholic Church refused to acknowledge the second marriage because his mother had divorced. "[T]he government rightly understood that despite certain religious objections, my parents had voluntarily entered into a committed familial relationship, forming close bonds of kinship and interdependence, and...as a family it was in their best interest and thus in the interest of the greater community that their union have financial and legal stability..."
Children raised by same-sex couples would benefit from the legalization of same-sex marriage. Despite criticism by opponents of same-sex marriage, who argue that children do better with both a mother and a father, same-sex couples have been able to adopt and raise children. By not honoring the commitment that same-sex parents have made to one another, the government does a disservice to children being raised by such families. Writer Anne Pollock states "Allowing civil marriage wouldn't make queer families perfectly stable—obviously it doesn't do that for the heterosexuals—but it would help those who chose to do so to formalize our relationships with each other and our children so that through thick and thin we know where we stand and what our rights and responsibilities are
The adoption of same-sex marriage would afford all people, regardless of sexual orientation, the benefits currently only provided to people who have entered heterosexual marriages, say gay marriage proponents. Changes in societal attitudes have created a landscape where the definition of marriage as a partnership between one man and one woman can be effectively challenged. Gays and lesbians deserve the opportunity to have their commitments to one another recognized by the law. The struggles of gays and lesbians in this regard are analogous to those of disenfranchised groups who have fought for rights and recognition in the women's rights and civil rights movements. The extension of marriage to same-sex couples would create an opportunity for gay and lesbian couples to adopt traditionally conservative values of monogamy and familial responsibility. Children with gay parents would also benefit as a result of legal validation of same-sex marriage. Short of federal approval for same-sex marriage, individual states should be given the final say in whether they allow gays and lesbians to marry.
With the increased visibility and tolerance for the gay and lesbian culture since the 1970s, some have asked that the strict definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman be reconsidered. The Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 established the right to privacy for homosexuals. Proponents of same-sex marriage feel that ultimately legal acceptance may soon occur.
Some argue that extending the benefits afforded by marriage to the homosexual community will strengthen social stability. "Marriage is an inherently conservative institution that requires a deeper commitment to civic and family responsibilities than unmarried couples undertake," states journalist Samuel G. Freedman. "It would only benefit the country to facilitate that level of commitment for more couples, including gay and lesbian couples." John Kusch, in testimony before the Wisconsin Joint Legislative Committee, argued for same-sex marriage, citing the example of his parents who were allowed to marry legally even though the Catholic Church refused to acknowledge the second marriage because his mother had divorced. "[T]he government rightly understood that despite certain religious objections, my parents had voluntarily entered into a committed familial relationship, forming close bonds of kinship and interdependence, and...as a family it was in their best interest and thus in the interest of the greater community that their union have financial and legal stability..."
Children raised by same-sex couples would benefit from the legalization of same-sex marriage. Despite criticism by opponents of same-sex marriage, who argue that children do better with both a mother and a father, same-sex couples have been able to adopt and raise children. By not honoring the commitment that same-sex parents have made to one another, the government does a disservice to children being raised by such families. Writer Anne Pollock states "Allowing civil marriage wouldn't make queer families perfectly stable—obviously it doesn't do that for the heterosexuals—but it would help those who chose to do so to formalize our relationships with each other and our children so that through thick and thin we know where we stand and what our rights and responsibilities are