The Right to Unite

The Right to Unite

Sam* and Alex* have been together for two years. Recently, they decided that they would like to buy a house together. This has not been an easy task as their lifestyle choice has caused them complications attaining a loan. Sam and Alex are of the same sex. If they were married, as they one day hope to be, getting a home loan would not be an issue. However, because they are gay, they are unable to legalize their relationship in 48 of the 50 states.

The issue of gay marriage has been a very controversial subject since the late 1970’s. As of 2004, same-sex marriage is still not legally recognized in any U.S. state. Recently the development of same sex civil unions includes the state of Vermont, which is designed to be similar to marriage. On May 16th, 2004, whoops and cheers and a party spilled onto the streets, gay and lesbian couples here began filling out applications for marriage licenses at 12:01 a.m., when Massachusetts became the first state in the country to allow them to marry (Belluck). In 2004 a few local government officials, most notably the city officials of San Francisco, started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite being in conflict with state laws.

In 1993, Hawaii and California legalized the marriage of gay individuals, with Vermont not far behind. Proponents of this measure feel that this current movement toward recognition of same sex relationships has been a long time coming. Those who are against gay marriages feel that by allowing gay individuals to marry, the whole concept of marriage would be destroyed.

Since 1989, same sex marriages have been legal in Denmark. Researchers have found that "the divorce rate among Danish homosexuals is only seventeen percent compared to forty-six percent for heterosexuals"(Jones, 22). Psychologists believe that there are several reasons for this. Most homosexuals who are married have been together for several years before the wedding. Unlike heterosexuals, who often are wed months after the relationship begins.

Finally, "Danish gays and lesbians rarely divorce... (because)...only those who are strongly motivated to marry do so, given society's disapproval of overt homosexuality"(Jones, 22). Since the legalization of gay marriages in Hawaii and California are so recent, there are no current studies on the divorce rates among homosexuals in the United States. However, one would believe that Danish statistics in this area would be comparable.

“Marriage”, the Supreme Court declared in 1967, is 'one of the basic civil rights of man'...'the freedom to marry is essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness'"(Stoddard, 413). The Supreme Court did not differentiate between a homosexual person and a heterosexual person. It seems that the basic argument against same sex marriages it that, by allowing them, society as a whole, would be desecrating the holiness of marriage and the traditional union of a man to a woman.

In 1992, Lotus Development Corporation became the first large firm to offer benefits "to the 'spousal equivalents' of its gay and lesbian employees"(Spector). Soon after, other companies followed suit. Business moguls; Ben and Jerry's Homemade Incorporated and Levi Strauss also offer benefits to same sex partners of their employees. Smaller private companies are also following suit. These companies are definitely not in the majority but it is a start in the right direction. "Some do it only after employees put pressure on them; some believe it will make them more competitive"(Ames, et.al.).

Whatever the reason, same sex unions are becoming recognized as valid relationships. The obvious next step is Domestic Partnerships. Currently, the approach to same sex marriage "can be divided into three models: de factors, peculiars