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The document discusses the debate around legalizing gay marriage. It provides arguments both for and against gay marriage. The main arguments presented in favor of legalizing gay marriage are that denying same-sex couples the right to marry removes a basic human right, and that it denies them legal protections and financial benefits granted to married couples. Arguments against legalizing gay marriage claim that marriage is a traditional institution between a man and a woman, but the document counters that slavery was also once a traditional institution. Overall, the document concludes that the arguments in favor of legalizing gay marriage outweigh those against it, and that depriving people of basic rights based on prejudice is unjust.
The document discusses the debate around legalizing gay marriage. It provides arguments both for and against gay marriage. The main arguments presented in favor of legalizing gay marriage are that denying same-sex couples the right to marry removes a basic human right, and that it denies them legal protections and financial benefits granted to married couples. Arguments against legalizing gay marriage claim that marriage is a traditional institution between a man and a woman, but the document counters that slavery was also once a traditional institution. Overall, the document concludes that the arguments in favor of legalizing gay marriage outweigh those against it, and that depriving people of basic rights based on prejudice is unjust.
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The document discusses the debate around legalizing gay marriage. It provides arguments both for and against gay marriage. The main arguments presented in favor of legalizing gay marriage are that denying same-sex couples the right to marry removes a basic human right, and that it denies them legal protections and financial benefits granted to married couples. Arguments against legalizing gay marriage claim that marriage is a traditional institution between a man and a woman, but the document counters that slavery was also once a traditional institution. Overall, the document concludes that the arguments in favor of legalizing gay marriage outweigh those against it, and that depriving people of basic rights based on prejudice is unjust.
Hak Cipta:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Format Tersedia
Unduh sebagai RTF, PDF, TXT atau baca online dari Scribd
Over the last hundred years our society experienced plenty of
significant social and political changes which brought the ideals of freedom and equality within the reach of various minorities. The famous and successful in their outcomes struggles of suffragettes and Afro Americans became the source of inspiration and hope for other oppressed groups of people. Nonetheless the process of changes is still in proceeding. The difficult situation of homosexuals seems the most vivid example of how the equality of rights still does not apply to all men. Although theoretically they are supplied with all rights of citizen, gay people are still deprived of the possibility to get married. At least in the vast majority of countries. Nevertheless, as their striving towards equality continues the first decade of 21st century faced the solemn dilemma whether to accept or deny their right to marriage. Serious question has emerged: “Do heterosexuals really have a monopoly for marriage?”. In my personal opinion the answer is “no” as I strongly believe that all individuals no matter what their sex, race or sexual orientation is shall be treated equal. In this case I do not think that there is place for polemics and people should simply follow the example of Voltaire who once said 'I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it'. For those to whom this approach does not seem convincing, there are plenty of other reasons to support same sex marriages.
One major argument strongly in favor of same-sex marriages is
that denying marriage to same-sex couples removes from one group a fundamental human right - the right to marry the person that one loves and to whom one has made a commitment. That is unfair and unjust in a democracy. Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are and should be regarded as valued members of society who have exactly similar rights and responsibilities as all other citizens. What is also significant, same- sex couples who enter into a civil union instead of marriage are denied equal access to all the benefits, rights, and privileges provided by law to married couples. The benefits, rights, and privileges associated with domestic partnerships are not universally available and, what is even more scandalous, are not equal to those associated with marriage. Homosexuals are deprived of such benefits as property inheritance; the right to visit their spouse in hospital, and make medical decisions if they are incapacitated. . Furthermore most people would agree that denying one group the right to marry has many adverse health and emotional consequences. Several psychological studies have shown that an increase in exposure to negative conversations and media messages about same-sex marriage creates a harmful environment for the LGBT population that may affect their health and well-being. The scientifically proved effects of institutional discrimination on the psychiatric health of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals are increase in psychiatric disorders, including a more than doubling of anxiety disorders, among the LGB population living in states that instituted bans on same-sex marriage Gay activist Jonathan Raunch has argued that marriage is good for all men, whether homosexual or heterosexual, because engaging in its social roles reduces men's aggression and promiscuity. Definition of marriage in constitution as between a man and a woman intentionally discriminates against lesbians and gay men denying access to the protections, benefits, and responsibilities extended automatically to married couples. Denial of access to marriage to same-sex couples may especially harm people who also experience discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, disability, gender and gender identity, religion, and socioeconomic status. It is simply unjust and harmful that official definition of marriage is based on prejudice rather than empirical research.
In contrast, skeptics point out that marriage is a traditional
institution between one man and one woman that goes back to the dawn of time. They claim that marriage is a social institution of long-established rules (based on the natural design of the human body) that provides society with the very foundation of civilization—the procreating family unit. That is, marriage is fundamentally about children and the civilization of society both now and for the future. Undoubtedly that's the most often heard argument and yet it is probably the weakest. Slavery was also a traditional institution, based on customs that went back to the very beginnings of human history. But by the 19th century, humankind had realized the evils of that institution, and abolished its legal status. Yet we also do not really know by whom the marriage should be actually defined. The married? The marriable? It seems to me that if the straight community cannot show a compelling reason to deny the institution of marriage to gay people, it should by no means be denied. Such situation is really more like an expression of prejudice than any kind of a real argument. The concept of not denying people their rights unless you can show a compelling reason to do so is the very basis of the whole ideal of human rights.
All things considered, in my opinion the arguments in support of
same sex marriages significantly tip the balance. As I mentioned at the beginning of my essay I will never come to terms with the state of things when one group of people is deprived of their basic rights by the majority. I am deeply ashamed that in 21st century people are still following prejudices and superstitions in the process of making of the law. I feel that it is responsibility of the young to express the support for same sex marriages to avoid shame and humiliation in the eyes of generations to come. I also notice an evident analogy between the current situation of LGB population and that of Afro Americans in the middle of 20th century. At that time no-one believed that the dream of Martin Luther King could come true so soon. Now, a half of century later, homosexuals can only look back with hope at achievements of the Civil Rights Movement. But who can predict what will happen during the next few decades? Oscar Wilde once said “Bigamy is having one husband or wife too many. Monogamy is the same.” but maybe he wouldn't have such critical view on this traditional institution if he was allowed to marry the person he loved. We could never know that as we have no influence on events that belong to the past. Nevertheless, the future is in our hands and it is our choice whether we will make it bright for everyone no matter their age, race or sexual orientation.
(Studies in Language Gender and Sexuality) BARRETT, RUSTY - From Drag Queens To Leathermen - Language, Gender, and Gay Male Subcultures (2017, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS) PDF