Gay Marriage
Equal Marriage Rights for All
Sociology
Equal Marriage Rights for All
Imagine finally meeting the person you can spend the rest of your life with. They are perfect in every way, even in their faults. You love that person more than yourself and they feel the same. You are not, however, legally allowed to marry that person-- and for no reason beyond people who are different from you not accepting your identity, because you have the "misfortune" of being born gay.
Our country has taken major strides in overcoming prejudices during the civil and women 's rights movements. Now that we have recognized and combated prejudices based on overt characteristics, our society should be ready to take that next step and tackle prejudices based on a more personal level. By passing legislature in favor of the more specific passing legislature against desegregation aided in decreasing racially prejudiced attitudes (Myers, 2008). Support for this can be seen by examining the parallels between gay marriage and interracial marriage, by arguing the suitability of using religion to oppose gay marriage, and looking to the points of view established in other countries.
Perhaps more people are recognizing marriage for what it is- the celebration of two people 's love for one another, regardless of skin color, and in the case of gay marriage, regardless of gender. Denying the authenticity of one group of people 's love is claiming that their love is inferior, which is just not the case. Love is central to everyone 's life (Moats, 2004), not just those who others deem worthy. As is the apparent trend, if gay marriage were to be legalized, people will gradually become more accepting of it as it becomes more commonplace. "People 's minds are changed through observation, not through argument '" (Stramel, 2005, from Mohr, 2005). The more visible gays and lesbians become, the more accepting people will be of homosexuality as a whole, a principle that is already beginning to take
Sociology
Equal Marriage Rights for All
Imagine finally meeting the person you can spend the rest of your life with. They are perfect in every way, even in their faults. You love that person more than yourself and they feel the same. You are not, however, legally allowed to marry that person-- and for no reason beyond people who are different from you not accepting your identity, because you have the "misfortune" of being born gay.
Our country has taken major strides in overcoming prejudices during the civil and women 's rights movements. Now that we have recognized and combated prejudices based on overt characteristics, our society should be ready to take that next step and tackle prejudices based on a more personal level. By passing legislature in favor of the more specific passing legislature against desegregation aided in decreasing racially prejudiced attitudes (Myers, 2008). Support for this can be seen by examining the parallels between gay marriage and interracial marriage, by arguing the suitability of using religion to oppose gay marriage, and looking to the points of view established in other countries.
Perhaps more people are recognizing marriage for what it is- the celebration of two people 's love for one another, regardless of skin color, and in the case of gay marriage, regardless of gender. Denying the authenticity of one group of people 's love is claiming that their love is inferior, which is just not the case. Love is central to everyone 's life (Moats, 2004), not just those who others deem worthy. As is the apparent trend, if gay marriage were to be legalized, people will gradually become more accepting of it as it becomes more commonplace. "People 's minds are changed through observation, not through argument '" (Stramel, 2005, from Mohr, 2005). The more visible gays and lesbians become, the more accepting people will be of homosexuality as a whole, a principle that is already beginning to take
References: Adam, B. D (2003). The defense of marriage act and American exceptionalism: The "gay marriage" panic in the United States. Journal of the History of Sexuality 12(2). 259-276. Retrieved June 17, 2007 from Humanities Abstracts/EBSCO database. Machacek, D. W. and Fulco, A. (2004). The courts and public discourse: The case of gay marriage. Journal of Church and State 46 (4). 767-785. Retrieved June 17, 2007 from Humanities Abstracts/EBSCO database. Miscegenation. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org Moats, D. (2004). Fear itself: Meditations on gay marriage. Virginia Quarterly Review 80(4). 186-195. Retrieved June 17, 2007 from EBSCO database. Olson, L. R., Cadge, W., and Harrison, J. T. (2006). Religion and public opinion about same-sex gay marriage. Social Science Quarterly 87(2). 340-360. Religion and politics: Contention and consensus (part III). (2007). Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://pewforum.org Stramel, J. S. (2005). A philosopher 's case for equality [Review of the book The long arc of justice: Lesbian and gay marriage, equality, and rights]. Gay and Lesbian Review, 12, 42-43. Same-sex marriage. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org Same-sex marriage in Canada. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org