By: Alexis QuintanaCRE 101

Phyllis Salsedo

Same-sex marriage permits couples of the same gender to enter legally-recognized marriages and provides them with the same legal rights as couples in heterosexual marriages. Same-sex marriage is legal in the countries of Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. In the United States as of 2012, same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Several other states recognize civil unions and domestic partnerships as well as out-of-state marriages. Opponents of same-sex marriage argue that the institution of marriage should apply only to unions between one man and one woman. Allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry, they say, undermines the institution of marriage itself. Some who object to same-sex marriage support the idea of civil unions, rather than full marriage, for same-sex couples. But advocates say that such unions are not fully equivalent to marriage and deprive same-sex couples of equal rights.

Darlene Garner and Candy Holmes embrace after they exchanged marriage vows during their wedding ceremony at the Human Rights Campaign building in

Washington on March 9, 2010. In December 2009, the DC Council approved a bill that would allow for

same-sex marriages to be performed in the District.

This video is of a gay man that is pro- same sex marriage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR4N8oEQR3c

In this speech, Jacob Kraybill starts off talking about a gay couple that have shared a life together for 8 years. These two men completely acted like a married couple, unfortunately they were never able to be legally married in their home state of California. One of the men then became very ill, he soon got so ill that he was days from death. Since the two men were not married, the man’s partner was not able to get information from doctors about the illness that was taking his one true love away from him. The man died days later, leaving behind his beloved who was legally not able to be by his side because they were not legally married. Jacob later goes on to state facts that same sex marriage is a matter of human rights. He also states that heterosexual married couples get more benefits from being married and homosexual couples do not. Benefits such as tax breaks, social security benefits, and hospital visitation rights. He also goes on to point out that nobody chooses to be gay.

This video is of Mitt Romney speaking about his reasons for opposing same sex marriage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3XRcoOyTGU

In this video it is Mitt Romney speaking about his beliefs on same sex marriage. He believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Romney believes that gay couples should only be allowed a domestic partnership with the rights to adopt children and live together. Romney also believes that allowing same sex couples to wed is a deviation from the sanctity of marriage and the way marriage has been described for decades.

“The arguments against gay marriage do not hold up. Most of the anti-gay marriage arguments involve religion but conservatives should not be permitted to impose their religious ideas on others who do not share them or to deny civil marriage to homosexuals. Notably, conservatives do not argue that the US Constitution bans gay marriage, probably because the opposite is true: The 14th Amendment likely protects gay marriage. The new arguments that gay marriage might be discussed in schools or that gays should not be able to define marriage for heterosexuals are equally hollow. Children cannot be shielded from information that is widely available on television and elsewhere, and there is no reason religious groups should be allowed to define marriage for homosexuals.”

“Supporters of gay marriage claim it will not hurt anyone, but there would be both immediate and long-term harms that would come from legalizing same sex marriage. Among the immediate effects would be taxpayer subsidies to homosexuals, including Social Security benefits, the teaching of homosexual values in public schools, and threats to religious liberty when churches and religious institutions are challenged not to discriminate against gays. Longer-term effects would include fewer people marrying, fewer sexually faithful relationships, more divorces, fewer children being raised by both a mother and a father, a falling birth rate, and demands for recognition of polygamy as a legitimate form of marriage.”

Through much investigation, I have found that same sex marriage is a very sensitive subject in our society today. Whether people are for same sex marriage or they are against it is a subject that I believe is a matter of human rights. The people that support same sex marriage believe that allowing two people that love each other to wed is simple human rights and will not effect heterosexual marriages. The percentage of people that oppose same sex marriage are against it either for religious reasons or lack of knowledge. I believe that after looking at the evidence I support same sex marriages. I do not think that a homosexual marriage would effect anyone else but the couple themselves. “Marriage should be between a spouse and a spouse, not a gender and a gender.” ― Hendrik Hertzberg

Same-Sex Marriage." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Gale, Cengage Learning, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Sprigg, P. (2012). Gay Marriage Should Not Be Legal. In D. A. Miller (Ed.), At Issue. Gay Marriage. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from The Top Ten Harms of Same-Sex Marriage, 2011, Family Research Council) Retrieved from http://ez1.maricopa.edu:2205/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=true&zid=&search_within_results=&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010014233&userGroupName=mcc_chandler&jsid=2862784a43fcb3e411532a4a554fdb7e

Kellard, J. (2012). Gay Marriage Should Be Legal. In D. A. Miller (Ed.), At Issue. Gay Marriage. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Do We Have a Constitutional Right to Ban Gay Marriage?, 2011) Retrieved from http://ez1.maricopa.edu:2205/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=true&zid=&search_within_results=&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010014232&userGroupName=mcc_chandler&jsid=7bcb72ff8e9657081210df6bfec1c518