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Essence Lincoln Mrs. Knowles English 1- 4th Block 10 February 2014 Same-Sex Marriage As a kid Ive always thought everyone was equal. Everyone had the same rights as one another, but I guess not exactly. One summer day in July my mom and I got into an argument. You could just feel the intention in the air, when she asked whether or not I would marry a man or a woman. I said a woman and she didnt like that decision at all. That argument was so heated you could see the steam come out of our ears. I would get so upset and cry because it didnt make sense why we had so much hate toward us. Gays are just like everyone else so why do people still give us funny looks or call us names? Hurtful names like dikes, faggots, wanna be guys, etc. I have always treated people the same regardless if they were gay, straight, lesbian, or bisexual. When I came out as a lesbian, I thought I would have support on whether or not I would marry a woman. I was always thinking about what my wedding would be like or when I would start my family. Everything would be perfect! Then I realized gay couples cannot marry in the state of South Carolina because it is not approved. Gay Marriage is only approved in some states. That always made me upset because if a man and woman can get married then why cant two women do the same? In school every child is taught; every human being is equal, no matter your age, race, or gender.

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When my family and friends found out I was a lesbian not everyone was happy for me. I lost one of my best friends because I told her I was not interested in boys. I remember lying beside her in bed watching a movie and laughing. Then I gave her this look of worry and she turned to me and said Whats wrong? I looked away. You can tell me anything, she said. I stared her right in the eyes and said Im a lesbian. She looked at me like I was out of my mind. All she did was put her head down and say What will everyone else think? I cant have a gay best friend. Those words hit me like three sharp stabs to the chest. I couldnt believe I was hearing this. I felt like Id lost the only person who understood me best, who knew me for me. Like she couldnt be serious, could she? She got up from the bed, grabbed her jacket and said, Ill see you around okay? I turned away so I didnt have to see her walk out the door. Id never cried so much. Why was I losing my best friend? I thought. We had been friends since kindergarten. I told her all my secrets and trusted her like my own sister. This could not be happening to me, but it was. During my initial research, I found at UC Davis Journal of Law & Policys website that has a lot of information on legalizing same-sex marriage. According to the UC Davis Journal the first country to legalize gay marriage was the Netherlands in 2001. Many countries are considering passing a bill to legalize gay marriages and adopting children. South Africa is the only country in Africa to legalize gay marriage worldwide with only a few countries imposing a death penalty for same sex relations. The main concern with countries about legalizing gay marriage is that they remain divided and controversial. Bills that are passed in France and Uruguay are usually passed in a lower house of Parliament. There are still upcoming decisions with pending same-sex marriage. The article also says that it would be interesting to see if the Supreme Court will consider the recent international trend of permitting same-sex marriage.

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I would like to continue researching Same-Sex Marriage because I would like to help people find a sense of equality. I want others to understand that gays are not different from bisexuals or straight people. Marriage isnt only about a man and woman getting married; its about two people who love each other wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. If you really love someone why should it matter if its a woman or a man? I believe that same-sex marriage is both constitutional and human right. Everyone is entitled to happiness and only you can decoide whether you want to be happy or not.