Research Paper on Gay Marriage as a Controversial Issue in America

Introduction

The rights of marriage of people who are of the same sex have been considered to be a controversial issue in both the religious and political circles. Most of the religious leaders do not support the marriage of people who are of the same sex and consider it as being illegal and consider it to be against the commands of God. In the states of US, there are less than ten countries which have recognized the marriage of people who are of the same sex. The first US states to legalize the marriage of same was Massachusetts and Netherlands. Democrats tend to support the marriage of same-sex, civil unions or domestic partnerships. This research paper discusses Gay marriage as a controversial issue in America.

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The Country's Stand on the Issue

In America gay marriage is considered as being legal since 2015. The marriage of people of the same sex is also lawful in Canada, Iceland, Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Spain, and Sweden so far. According to the results of a poll that was conducted in 2011, the United States was found to be the least tolerant towards the issue of gay marriage (Mello). The difference was mainly accounted for by the views of the Republicans.60% of the Americans were for the idea that the society should accept gay marriage and homosexuality. America has resisted the process of accepting gay marriage despite both conservatives and liberals in Western countries evolving towards the modern norms of enforcing the rights of the gay people. In 2003 the Supreme Court ruled that it is not a criminal offense to have consensual sex between men which resulted in many social conservatives being appalled. The court ruled by a vote of 5-4 that as per the

Fourteenth Amendment the states are required to offer licenses to gay marriages and as well as recognize the marriage of people who are of the same sex from other states. According to the opinion of most of the people, it was unconstitutional for the law since it had violated on fundamental liberty and also reflected stigma against the relationships of people of the same sex.

The religious organizations consider gay marriage as being illegal and have framed it as being a lifestyle that is deviant. Approximately 85% of the religious leaders suggest that people of the same sex should not be allowed to marry. The support for gay marriage among the white evangelical Protestants and black Protestants is relatively low as compared to other religious groups.

In America, people's opinion and attitude regarding gay marriage have changed significantly. After the case Obergefell v.Hodges 2015, whereby the Court ruled in support of gay marriage there was a great increase in the number of people supporting the gay marriage. This has resulted in a cultural shift due to the changing attitudes towards the gay marriage in America, but the nature of the shift is not yet clear. The change in the attitudes towards gay marriage has been contributed greatly by the increasing personal contact with gays and lesbians and also the level of education. The high rate of supporting the gay marriage can be interpreted further to the changes in the various structures of the American culture which has caused the Americans to start viewing the gay marriage from a different perception. In the past Americans viewed homosexuality as being a form of mental illness. In the mid-1960s the social imagination of being gay was still the same because homophile movement organizations were still covert largely and in rare cases did the activists challenge their collective representation in public. Activists have also change the attitude of people towards gay marriage whereby they openly challenged the legal and medical authorities. In America, there is less resistance against the marriage of people of the same sex as compared to the past despite it being considered as being illegal. The issue of gay marriage is no more being considered to be a politically decisive issue. For example when President Obama supported gay marriage, many feared that it would negatively affect him but instead it affected him positively. The increase in the number of adults who support gay marriage is due to change of generation. The young people in America have started considering gay marriage to be a non-issue. The younger generations express higher levels of supporting the marriage of people who are of the same sex. More people are coming out in large numbers to help legalize gay marriage and make it acceptable in the society (Campbell, David and Quin).

My Stance on the Topic

I agree with the American government for legalizing and accepting gay marriage. I believe every person has the right to marry the person they love irrespective of what other people think. It is illegal to discriminate people because of their gender, sexuality or the person they love. Just like other people gay marriage should be legalized and be given the right level of liberty and freedom. Different religious denominations should accept gay marriage because having the freedom of religion also having the freedom to have another person's beliefs imposed on you by the law. Couples who are of the same sex are similarly situated to married couples of different sex concerning their interdependence, economic status, family decisions and value for marriage (Meezan, William, and Jonathan). No one has the right to judge another person from their actions or the person they love. According to the Bible, no person has the right to deny other people the blessing of holy institutions such as marriage, communion, and baptism. My experience shape my stance because I have seen gay people being judged and mistreated in the society which is not right as they are also human beings who deserve to love and be loved.

The reason as to why some people are against legalizing the gay marriage in America is because they consider it to be a threat to traditional marriage and as a threat to the sanctity of marriage involving people of different sex. If this was the case if people were genuine about their concerns regarding marriage they should put more effort in ensuring that divorce cases are reduced significantly. The argument of the Christians is that marriage is a religious institution. Marriage should be considered to be a socio-legal institution that should be governed by a state. People's belief about marriage should not act as a hindrance to the freedom of other people who have a different opinion about marriage ("Christian Gay marriage Protest").

Risk of Not Addressing the Marriage Issue

If the topic of gay marriage is not addressed, it may cause most young people involving themselves in illegal behaviors as a result of depression that has been caused by how the society treats and views them. It can also cause suicidal attempts by the gay couples who feel that their rights are being violated and also because of the discrimination they face at their workplaces or other public places (Murder in the Family (Full Documentary) - Real Stories"). To solve this issue, people should be educated and create awareness that gay marriage should not be considered as illegal since those involved are people who are in love like other couples (West).

Conclusion

In conclusion, gay marriage should be legalized and not considered as being illegal. Gay couples should be treated equally with other couples who are not of the same sex. They should not be discriminated against and judged because of the person they love. The government should ensure that all American States issue licenses to gay couples and provide them with the relevant legal rights.

Works Cited

Campbell, David E., and J. Quin Monson. "The religion card: Gay marriage and the 2004

presidential election." Public Opinion Quarterly 72.3 (2008): 399-419.

"Christian Gay marriage Protest." Fuse Magazine, 11 June 2015.

Mello, Michael. Legalizing Gay Marriage: Vermont and the National Debate. Temple UP, 2008.

Meezan, William, and Jonathan Rauch. "Gay marriage, same-sex parenting, and America's children." The Future of Children (2005): 97-115.

"The Moment after US Supreme Court Same-sex Marriage Decision - BBC News." YouTube, 26 June 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkHz-EaWxCY.

"A Murder in the Family (Full Documentary) - Real Stories." YouTube, 6 Oct. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=vABOFleXLJQ.

"On Same-Sex Marriage." The Times of Israel, 25 Apr. 2017, blogs.timesofisrael.com/on-same-Sex-marriage/.

West, Isaac. "Legalizing Gay Marriage." Argumentation and Advocacy 41.2 (2004): 112-115.