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Jourdan Mason
Professor Calhoun
Eng. 1205-Online
12 April 2015
Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
Imagine you meet the girl of your dreams. Shes attractive, intelligent, funny, and
your friends think she is amazing. You date for three years and you are absolutely sure
she is the one. On your third year anniversary you decided to take her out to a fancy
restaurant. You propose to her at the restaurant and she says yes. The two of you go
through 13 months of wedding plans, but as happy as you two are, youll only be able to
enjoy a ceremony and reception. You wont be able to get a marriage certificate, be
announced as Mr. and Mrs., or enjoy all of the benefits of marriage. Why? Your country
doesnt recognize your marriage in all 50 states. Same-sex couples have been fighting for
their right to marry for decades; though our country is making progress there still isnt
equality for all. Same-sex marriage should be legalized in all 50 states; no one should
have the power to say who can get married and who cant.
Homosexuality in general is one of the biggest controversial issues in todays
society. Most of the older generations (Generation Silent and the Baby Boomers) have
issues with homosexuality. They think its disgusting, unnatural, or against Gods
teachings. The newer generations (Generation X and Generation Y) are more supportive
of homosexuality. There is a lot of history with homosexuality. Using the timeline from
PBS website I have highlighted some of the most important milestones in the gay
community. In 1952 President Eisenhower signed an order banning all homosexuals from

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working for the federal government. The order states that homosexuals are a security risk,
same as alcoholics and narcotic users. It was then homosexuality was considered a
punishable offense by law. June 28, 1969 is the date of one of the most famous riots in
history. Police officers attempted to raid the gay bar named Stonewall and the angry
patrons fought back; this turned into a three-day riot. The following year, June 28, 1970
was the first gay pride parade. (PBS) In the article Homosexuality: The Mental Illness
That Went Away, Phil Hickey states that the American Psychiatric Association (APA)
considered homosexuality a mental illness. It wasnt until research found that
homosexual people were content with their sexual orientation and they appeared to be as
well adjusted as heterosexual people. (Hickey)

The dictionary defines homosexuality is a sexual desire or behavior directed

towards a person or persons of the same sex. (Dictionary.com) In the last decade more
and more people have claimed to be attracted to the same sex. Coming out the closet is
the term used. A research study found that there are approximately 9 million Americans
that identify themselves as being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Women are considerably more
likely to identify as bisexual then men are. Approximately 19 million Americans have
reported that they have had sexual contact with someone of the same sex, and

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approximately 25.6 million Americans have acknowledged that they have been attracted
to someone of the same sex. (Gates 1)

Many people of the Christian faith not only believe that homosexuality is wrong,
or unnatural, but they feel it is against Gods word. Many Christians think Bible verses
that are talking about adultery or premarital sex are talking homosexual behavior. For
example, Hebrews 13:4-5 states that, Marriage should be honored by all, and the
marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because
God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Bible Verses about
Homosexuality)
What does the Bible really say about homosexuality? Matthew 19:12, For there are
eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by
othersand there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom
of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it. This Bible verse mentions the

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word eunuchs. There are three different definitions of a eunuch. The first is a man who
has been castrated in order to work in harems [eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by
others]. Second is a man who would not have sex for religious purposes and entered a
monastery [those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of
heaven.] The third definition is, men who were born with feminine traits and had no
sexual interest in women [eunuchs who were born that way]. (Biblical Comments of
Jesus on Homosexuals) Some Christians state that God did not create homosexual people
that way. If they realize that God did create homosexuals that way, rejecting them would
be equivalent to rejecting Gods creation. Many Christians like saying, "God made Adam
and Eve, not Adam and Steve!" To reinforce their position, they often cite the Bible verse
Matthew 19:4-5, where Jesus responds to a question about whether divorce is permissible
or not. Have you not read that the One who made them at the beginning made them male
and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh? Therefore, what God has joined
together, let no one separate. Due to this verse Christians draw the conclusion that
heterosexuality is the creation norm and, therefore, heterosexual marriage is the only
legitimate way for people to form romantic relationships

There are arguments that same-sex marriage ruins the institution of what a
traditional marriage stands for. To some, the definition of a marriage is the joining of a
man and a woman. Some, also from the Christian faith, even say that marriage is meant
for procreation; couples of the same sex cannot procreate together, therefore should not
be allowed to marry. In addition to, they argue that children need both a mother and a

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father. It has been said that girls who are raised without a father are more likely to have
sex at a younger age, and more likely to become a teenage mother. In a blog on
BabyMed.com, author Jaclyn Stewart writes, Children raised without mothers tend to
show more emotional problems. Later in life, they have trouble making normal
relationships, and they struggle with abandonment and security issues. (Stewart)
Times are changing. The definition of what a traditional marriage should be has
changed. Even the dictionary definition has changed. To legally or formally recognize
the union of a man and a woman, or in some cases two people of the same sex, as
partners in a relationship. (The Free Dictionary) . In addition to, the concept of a
traditional marriage has changed over time. Throughout history different classes of
individuals have fought against discrimination; they have fought for equality. In addition,
if you think about the evolution of marriage, interracial marriage was once illegal and
polygamy was rarely talked about. Now there are television shows about polygamous
families and people are free to date whichever race or ethnicity they choose. What does
that say about society? It says that society is evolving! Who is to say that same-sex
couples cant have children together? With science and technology advancing everyday,
scientists are claiming we soon wont need one egg, and one sperm to create a baby; but
we will be able to create a baby with two sperm or two eggs. Though science and
technology may not be that advanced for some time, same-sex couples still have many
resources available to them if they wish to have a family. Some examples include
surrogates, adoption, and artificial insemination from an anonymous donor.

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Some Americans argue that marriage is a privilege, not a right. In addition to, they
dont support same-sex marriage because they believe their money will be affected.
Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the Family Research Council, Peter S. Sprigg, MD,
said that if gay marriage were legalized, taxpayers, consumers, and businesses would be
forced to subsidize homosexual relationships. This is actually an argument that is often
heard. Marriage revolves around the government benefits that same-sex couples are
denied. Many of these benefits involve taxpayer money that same-sex couples are eager
to have. Legalizing same-sex marriage would entitle same-sex couples to typical
marriage benefits, which include claiming a tax exemption for a spouse, receiving social
security payments from a deceased spouse, and coverage by a spouses health insurance
policy. These things are largely at taxpayers' expense. (ProCon.org)
Most Americans dont know, but same-sex marriage is protected by the
constitution. In 1972 the Supreme Court ruled (7 to 2) the freedom of personal choice in
matters of marriage and family lie is one of the liberties protected by the Due Process

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Clause. The Due Process Clause states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law. (ProCon.org) On July 25,2014, Judge Sarah Zabel
of Miami Dades County Circuit Court, said that Floridas ban of same-sex marriage was
unconstitutional and that its only purpose was to hurt, discriminate, and to deprive samesex couples and their families of equality and dignity. They wish to label them as secondclass citizens, and deem them unworthy of participation in one of the fundamental
institutions of society. (ProCon.org)
Whether you are against same-sex marriage or you support it, remember that love
does not judge. God does not judge. If you were to find the woman of your dreams, or
the man of your dreams, and someone had the power to say whether you could marry him
or her, how would you feel? As of February 9, 2015 same-sex marriage has been
legalized in 37 US states Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and
the District of Columbia. (Human Rights Campaign)

Works Cited
9 April 2015 <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/marriage>.
Bible Verses about Homosexuality. 9 April 2015
<http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-homosexuality/>.
"Biblical Comments of Jesus on Homosexuals." 10 April 2015
<http://www.hiddenmeanings.com/gaysJesus2.htm>.
Dana. This Day in Greenwich Village. 28 June 2011. 12 April 2015
<http://gvshp.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/stonewall2.jpg>.
Dictionary.com. Dictionary. 9 April 2015
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homosexuality>.
Gates, Gary J. How Many People are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender? The
Williams Institute. Los Angeles, 2011.
Gay and Lesbian Parenting. 12 April 2015
<http://www.babymed.com/sites/default/files/lesbian_pregnant_couple_0_2.jpg>.
Hickey, Phil. Homosexuality: The Mental Illness That Went Away. 8 October 2011. 7
April 2015 <http://www.behaviorismandmentalhealth.com/2011/10/08/homosexualitythe-mental-illness-that-went-away/>.
Human Rights Campaign. "Marriage Center." Human Rights Campaign. 10 April 2015
<http://www.hrc.org/campaigns/marriage-center>.
PBS. American Experience. 2013. 7 April 2015
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/stonewall/>.
Pew Research Center. Religion Among Milliennials. 17 February 2010. 12 April 2015
<http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/07/millennials-homosexuality-chart.gif>.

ProCon.org. "Gay Marriage Pros and Cons." 1 April 2015. Pros and Cons of
Controversial Issues. 10 April 2015 <http://gaymarriage.procon.org/>.
Stewart, Jaclyn. "Can a Child without a Mother be Raised Normally?" 25 February 2013.
Baby Med. 9 April 2015 <http://www.babymed.com/blogs/jaclyn-stewart/can-childwithout-mother-be-raised-normally>.