False Assumption Regarding Same Sex Marriages example essay topic

The Case for Same-Sex Marriage The United States is known world wide for its civil rights and freedoms. Many Americans are appalled by the idea of same-sex marriages. What's wrong with the idea of two people who care greatly for one another wanting to spend their lives together? The gay community is misunderstood because many straights are not willing to listen. These individuals would rather just be closed-minded in this situation and reticent to really think about what this means to the gay community and the country.

Same sex couples are not asking for any special rights; they are just asking to be treated equal with opposite sex couples. The explanations given by many Americans against gay marriages are based on false assumptions and unsubstantiated arguments. However, the real and unspoken reasons many heterosexuals have against same-sex marriages are based on religious beliefs. There are a number of false assumptions the straight community has regarding same sex marriages.

Marriage is a basic human right and an individual personal choice. The government should not interfere with same-sex couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities, and commitment of the institution of marriage. The real nature of marriage is not a relationship between a man and a woman but rather a binding commitment between two adults. Another false assumption regarding same sex marriages is that the institution of marriage is for procreation. If so, why are infertile individuals allowed to marry?

Why are childless couples allowed to remain married? The false assumption that the institution of marriage ensures the continuation of the species is hard to visualize with the current population of the world. The notion of institution of marriage being threatened by same-sex marriages is an additional false assumption by the straight community. In the 1950's miscegenation laws prevented interracial marriages between whites and blacks. A 1967 United States Supreme Court decision finally legalized mixed race marriages. Interracial marriages have not irreparably harmed the institution of marriage.

The false assumption of marriage being between a man and a woman, for procreation, continuation of the species, and that the institution of marriage will be threatened by same sex marriages is unfounded. Opponents of same-sex marriage argue that it is immoral, will result in the raising of "harmed' children and that it is an untried sexual experiment. They also argue that marriage is a special "right" of heterosexual adult couples. Many insist that everyone needs to realize that gat relationships are immoral, and that god placed a man and a woman on this earth for each other. This has nothing to do with whether gay marriages should be legal or not. This nation believes in freedom of religion as well as the right of freedom from religion.

If an American believes in religious freedom then he or she has no basis for this argument. Furthermore, religious arguments should be immediately dismissed in the court of law. The straight community has fears for children who live in the home of a same-sex marriage. However, there is no scientific evidence to support that children who are raised in the home of same-sex couples are not "normal".

Moreover, there are a number of dysfunctional heterosexual couples who have not provided a healthy, supportive environment needed to raise a "normal" child. Then there is the argument of needing a man and a woman to raise a child. There is no scientific evidence to support that children raised by a single never-married or unmarried parent are not "normal". Opponents of gay marriages argue that same sex marriage is an untried social experiment.

However, there are a number of countries that have permitted same sex-marriage including Denmark, Holland and Belgium. The Denmark clergy have noted beneficial effects from legalizing same sex marriages. Another argument against same sex-marriage is that marriage is a special "right". If we live in a country where all individuals have equal rights then how can prohibiting same sex-marriage be allowed? By denying homosexual couples the right to marriage they are excluded from legal benefits such as access to a spouse's medical, life and disability insurance, workers' compensation survivor benefits, spousal benefits under annuity and retirement plans, the right to refuse to testify against one's spouse, retain custody of children, and many others. The straight community argues against same-sex marriages citing it is immoral, children will be harmed, it is an untried social experiment, and that marriage is a special "right" of heterosexual couples.

Their arguments are not substantiated. The subject of same-sex marriage is often to unspeakable for straights. Their embarrassed to admit the real reasons they are against legalizing it include not being comfortable with gays, offending their religion beliefs, marriage being a sacred institution and that homosexuality is unnatural. Marriage will not change the sexual orientation of homosexuals nor will banning gay marriage. Blacks were not allowed to marry anywhere in the United States until after the Civil War. When they were allowed to be married this did not result in a moral decline of our civilization.

Separation of church and state has long been an understood principle in our country. The excuse of same-sex marriage not being legalized because it is against religious convictions should not be entertained in our country. Citing marriage as a sacred institution reserved for heterosexual adult couples is a lame excuse and an example of failure to embrace one of the principles that our country was founded upon, that is, freedom. Some of our founding fathers struggled with the concept that any man regardless of education or wealth should be allowed to vote.

Later our country struggled with whether women should vote. There was fear that our country would decline if women voted for it too was an untried social experiment. However, the country did not decline after women won the right to vote nor did it decline when blacks were given the right to vote. The history of our country is that of expanding civil rights. This fundamental civil right should be afforded to all loving and committed adult couples throughout our country not just opposite-sex couples.

Reticence to understand homosexuality causes many straights to not be comfortable with homosexuality and believe same-sex marriage is unnatural. Furthermore, many straights cite religious reasons as just cause for not legalizing same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriages should be legalized in the United States. This country has steadily opened the minds of Americans to the meaning of equality and freedom evidenced by allowing blacks and women to vote and allowing interracial marriages. The time has come to get past the false assumptions and unsubstantiated arguments. It is time to understand that religious beliefs need to be separated from the state and to legalize gay marriage.

It's a civil right.