Argument Paper for Same Sex Marriage

Introduction

It is important for a society to live together, it is even more critical when one is not judged or scolded by the society s/he lives in due to his/her sexual orientation. The homosexual couples are upstanding, law-abiding citizens who work hard and pay their taxes just like heterosexuals. According to Hamilton, marriage is an important and a fundamental right that must apply to same-sex marriages, thus restricting marriage to opposite- couples is a pure denial of equality (1584). The significance of marriage is to serve certain legitimate and critical interest of the married couples. Hence, discriminating against same-sex marriages is unfair and unjust. Legitimizing and supporting same-sex marriages will reduce divorce and suicide rates, and boost the economy as well as create a society that is more accepting, diverse and democratic.

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The advocates for anti-same-sex marriages according to Fingerhut argue that legalizing same-sex marriages will dissolve traditional marriages if one partner is gay and that this will increase divorce rates (229). The critical rationale of marriage is to allow couples to make their desire for a more legally binding mutual commitment to each other. The same-sex marriages equality has this desire, to make a mutual commitment. The right to marry should acknowledge that one should marry the person with whom they share these desires regardless of sex. The only important factor in marriage is love. Accepting same-sex marriage will encourage people to marry individuals they love. This will reduce divorce rates that do arise in heterosexual marriages due to incompatibility issues (Cunningham-Parmeter 1878). Fingerhut, Ellen, and Sharon show that 20% of homosexual teenagers have attempt suicide and that 8.4 of such suicide attempts occur in families with high rejection (109).

The society has treated homosexuals in many harsh ways including excommunication, scolding and discriminating teenagers due to their sexual orientation (Fingerhut et al. 231). The failure by their families and communities has failed to understand homosexuals. Consequently, the majority of gays and lesbians have commute suicide or attempted suicide. This has led to the society losing individuals who could have positively contributed to its development. Legalizing and embracing same-sex marriages will foster acceptance and respect for everyone regardless of their sexuality (Conkle 107). It will manifest to teenagers that being different is not a social disability. As such, they will marry the people they love. This will reduce the divorce and suicide rates.

The proponents of anti-same-sex marriages argue that same-sex couples cannot procreate and cannot create a suitable environment for bringing up children. This false perception has contributed to the discrimination of gay-couples by adopting agencies. According to Fingerhut et al., many lesbian and gay couples are raising children (231). Both legal and religious marriages have not emphasizes or made love a core requirement for marriage. The spouses who no longer have a love for one another should not be together for the good of children (Conkle 108). This has contributed to many divorce cases. If the welfare of children is in question, same-sex couples share commitment and love just like heterosexual couples who desire to marry as well as a desire to have a family to bring-up their children in a loving and supportive environment (Cunningham-Parmeter 1111).

Recognizing same-sex marriage and allowing them to adopt children will help provide for children who have been deprived of the benefits of living in supportive family units. Besides, procreation has never been a requirement for marriage; hence it is wrong to argue that gays should not be allowed on the basis that they cannot procreate. Several heterosexual individuals are sterile, and those who don't just want children, yet they have been allowed to marry. The traditional view of marriage has contributed to polygamy. Nevertheless, same-sex marriage is not a threat to traditional marriage; they can both co-exist. The main threat to traditional marriage is marriages between couples who barely know each other only to divorce after a few months in marriage. Homosexual unions can provide stable relationships and are fit as parents (Conkle 105). Legalizing homosexual marriages will allow a large number of children to be successfully adopted, and same-sex marriage will on no account threaten traditional marriage.

According to Hunter and Eskridge, same-sex marriages are likely to denaturalize the historical construction of gender at the center of marriage and erode the sex hierarchies in heterosexual marriages (Cunningham-Parmeter 1113). The problem with this argument is that the society has been made to believe in the superior and inferior partners in a marriage where female couples have been marginalized and treated as inferior in heterosexual marriages. Over time, women are fighting for equality ton their male counterparts in access to education, equal opportunity to employment and in decision making. The traditional construction of gender in marriage is already changing with or without legalization of gay marriages. Besides, the conventional role of women in marriage continues to evolve. The society is already accepting families where male partner care for children as the female counterpart goes to work. Legalization of same-sex marriage hence poses no harm to the community. It only concerns allowing one to marry someone of his/her choosing and no state should have any legitimate interest in regulating any intimate relationship.

Legalizing same-sex marriages has an economic benefit. This comes from a surge in spending related to weddings by same-sex couples. The business and tourism industries are more likely to benefit from these spending. These will mostly benefits' states and districts that impose sales tax from wedding spending and spending of out-of state-guests. According to () over 13,000 jobs are created and supported by same-sex wedding spending I United States. Additionally, legalizing same-sex marriages will reduce employment discriminations that the gay communities have been experiencing. Marriage equality will also ensure that gay couples are allowed to inherit their partners' social security when they die. Extending the same marriage rights to same-sex marriages will encourage investments of such securities, create more job opportunities and positively contribute to the country's economy.

Conclusion

Gays and lesbians are upstanding citizens who pay taxes, serve their communities, and observe laws and order hence should be respected and given the same rights just as heterosexual Americans. The gays and lesbians are denied the rights to marry or adopt children. But when they do, they are not allowed to claim their partner's security and their adopted children cannot receive survivor benefits. Despite gay marriages gaining legal recognition in the recent past, they still struggle to achieve religious recognition and experience discrimination in the society. Same-sex marriage should be recognized, respected and supported because it will help reduce divorce and suicide rates, promote unity and equality in the society, provide a chance for more kids to be adopted and contribute to the economy.

Work Cited

Conkle, Daniel O. "Evolving Values, Animus, and Same-Sex Marriage." Marital Rights. Routledge, 2017. 99-114.

Cunningham-Parmeter, Keith. "Marriage equality, workplace inequality: The next gay rights battle." Fla. L. Rev. 67 (2015): 1099.

Fingerhut, Adam W., Ellen DB Riggle, and Sharon Scales Rostosky. "Samesex marriage: The social and psychological implications of policy and debates." Journal of Social Issues67.2 (2011): 225-241.

Hamilton, Frances. "The case for same-sex marriage before the European Court of Human Rights." Journal of homosexuality 65.12 (2018): 1582-1606.