Gay Marriage

A large majority of people in the United States will say that they are in favor of equal rights for homosexuals. They will all agree that homosexuals should have the same rights in housing, jobs, public accommodations, and should have equal access to government benefits, equal protection of the law, and other rights granted to US citizens. However, when the topic of marriage arises, all the talk of equality ceases. Over fifty percent of all people in the United States oppose homosexual marriage, despite the fact that most are otherwise supportive of homosexual rights. This means that many of the same people who are even passionately in favor of homosexual rights oppose homosexuals on this one issue. This is because there is a lot of misunderstanding about what homosexuality really is, as well as the erroneous assumption that homosexual people enjoy the same civil rights protections as everyone else. For the reasons of ending social injustice, the economic and social benefits of allowing homosexuals to marry, and the constitution, homosexual marriages should be a legalized institution.

Homosexuals are often treated unjustly socially. Homosexual people and couples are treated as inferior to that of heterosexuals. The values that homosexual couples exhibit in their daily lives are often indistinguishable from those of their straight neighbors. They're loyal to their mates, and are devoted partners. Many of the reasons offered for opposing homosexual marriage are based on the assumption that homosexuals have a choice in which they can feel attracted to, and the reality is quite different. Many people actually believe that homosexuals could simply choose to be heterosexual if they wished. But the reality is that very few do have a choice; any more than very few heterosexuals could choose which sex to find them attracted to. Additionally, many people continue to believe the propaganda from right-wing religious organizations that homosexuality is about nothing but sex, considering it to be merely a sexual perversion. Homosexual relationships are just like heterosexual ones, and are much more about love and affection than they are about sex. And this is what homosexual relationships are based on: mutual attraction, love and affection. Sex, in a committed homosexual relationship, is merely a means of expressing that love, just the same as it is for heterosexuals.

One of the reasons for the social injustice towards homosexuals is that some people are just not comfortable with the idea. This fact the people aren't comfortable with the idea mainly comes from the fact that for many years, society has promoted the idea that a marriage between members of the same sex is ludicrous and that “Homosexual sex is unnatural.” This argument, often referring to homosexuality as a crime against nature, betrays a considerable ignorance of behavior in the animal kingdom. The fact is that among the approximately 1500 animal species whose behavior has been extensively studied, homosexual behavior in animals has been described in at least 450 of those species. When the objections against homosexual marriages don't make sense, neither does the idea that homosexual marriage is necessarily ludicrous. Societies have long recognized that allowing civil rights to certain groups may offend some, and at times, even the majority. But that is why constitutional government was established. To ensure that powerless, unpopular minorities are still protected from the tyranny of the majority.

Another widely used injustice is saying, “Marriage is an institution between one man and one woman.” This is the argument that is used them most, and is even presented in a recent U.S. Federal law. However, it could easily be considered the weakest. Who says what marriage is and by whom it is to be defined? The married? The marriable? Isn't that kind of like allowing a banker to decide who is going to own the money in stored in his vaults? The concept of not denying people their rights unless you can show a compelling reason to deny them is the very basis of the American ideal of human rights.

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