Martenstyn 1 Alexis Martenstyn Maxine Patroni English 111 1 November 2013

Gay Marriage Gay marriage is a very sensitive topic, you are either for or against it. Personally I am for it and I think everyone should be equal. Right now, 14 states allow same sex marriage, 35 ban same sex marriage and 1 is in the middle14 states with legal same sex marriage and 35 with same sex banned. Every one should have their right to love who they want to love weather it is a girl wanting to marry a girl and a guy wanting to marry a guy instead of a girl and a guy wanting to get married. My reasons behind it is from the history, the present, and some of the famous people who have changed gay marriage and made a difference. History has had probably the greatest impact on gay marriage than all the others. Through the history of gay marriage, a lot has changed. It all started with a Hawaii case in 1993. As a result, judges found that the state constitution required a good reason not to extend to gay equal marriage rights. After that, in 1996, President Clinton signed a defense of marriage act. In that act, it denied same sex couple federal marriage rights. In 2003, the Massachusetts supreme court ruled that denied marriage rights violates the state constitution. Just a year later, President Bush tries to endorse and push for a constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage, but it is defeated in the congress. That same year, thirteen states pass measures that will define gay marriage as between a man and a women (a brief history of gay marriage). All

Martenstyn 2 those debates and changes through the history in just a couple years has led up to huge changes today. In 2008, California supreme court overturns gay marriage ban (a brief history of gay marriage). Personally, im surprised because sometimes when one person does something, it will make other people want to do. But just in 2011, New York became legal for gay marriage. The voting was pretty close but they won 33-29. It was actually the first for a republican controlled senate. One thing I had no idea about was that Canada has legal gay marriage. It was actually the third country to legalize gay marriage, the other two countries are the Netherlands and Belgium (International). Canada legalized gay marriage in 2005. Some things that effect the present are the famous people that has changed gay marriage (Gay Marriage is Legal in Canada). To todays date, there are 14 states that allow same marriage. Honestly that is more than I thought there was before I started this paper. By court decision, Connecticut got legalized in 2008, Iowa in 2009, Massachusetts in 2004, and New Jersey in 2013. By state they got legalized, Delaware in 2013, Minnesota in 2013, New Hampshire in 2010, in Vermont in 2009 and in Rhode Island in 2013. And the popular votes were Maine and Washington in 2012 and Maryland in 201314 states with legal same sex marriage and 35 with same sex banned. After the gay marriage equality bill was passed in New York, many famous actors and actresses who are gay, became engaged. Some actually got engaged prior to this bill being passed, they just kept it a secret. One famous actor we all know is Neil Patrick Harris. Right after the bill in New York was passed, he announced that he already had a secret engagement but he just now announced it to everyone. One actress we all know and love is Ellen DeGeneres. She got married to Portia De Rossi in 2008 in LA at their own home where it was legal at the time.

Martenstyn 3 They got married the same year that California was legally able for same sex marriage. They are probably one of the most popular same sex marriage (Block). A lot of people are actually against gay marriage. Some simply say it is not marriage. They think that just because they think marriage should be a man and a women, and thats it. Not between two girls and two boys. They also say it offends god. They say that if you have a gay marriage, than you will be sinned because its not what the bible tells you. They say that anyone who loves god, needs to be opposed to the decision of gay marriage. Also they say that the child will always deny a mother or a father if they are gay. They think that it is in the childs best interest to be raised but a mother and a father instead of two moms or two dads. Lastly they also say that same sex marriage ignores a childs best interest (TFP Student Action). Gay marriage, I believe, should be equal everyone. Even after reading the other sides opinions and why they think gay marriage shouldnt be legal, I still believe it is just wrong and people dont see what love really is. If someone really is gay, they arent going to be happy with a women and if people dont start accepting people for who they are, than this world is really never going to change. I still cant believe that one the states that banned same sex marriage is North Carolina, the state I live in doesnt allow free love. I dont think a lot of states around me really allow same sex marriage which I find very odd, you really have to go up north to marry in the same sex. But I really think everyone should be able to be treated equally and I cant wait till that day can come that they can marry wherever they want whoever they want. I backed up why I think gay marriage should be allowed through the history, which showed how far we have came from but still have more to do to make all states allow same sex marriage, the present with the states that allow same sex marriage, and a couple famous people who has had gay marriages or are going too soon.

Martenstyn 4 Work Cited A brief history of gay marriage. Times International (South pacific edition), 2 Jun. 2008. Article. 31 Oct. 2013 Block, Tara Same sex celebrities say I do Pop Sugar, 27 Jun. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013 Gat marriage legal in Canada Evening standard, 29 Jun. 2005. Article. 31 Oct. 2013 International business times. Gay Marriage Legal in New York International Business Times, 24 Jun. 2013 TFP Student Action 10 reasons why homosexual marriage is harmful and must be opposed. TFP Student Action. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013 14 states with legal same sex marriage and 35 with same sex banned ProCon, 21. Oct. 2013. Ariticle 12 Nov. 2013