Gay Marriage Essay -- Same-Sex Marriage Essays

A large majority of people in the United States will say that they are in favor of equal rights for homosexuals. They will all agree that homosexuals should have the same rights in housing, jobs, public accommodations, and should have equal access to government benefits, equal protection of the law, and other rights granted to US citizens. However, when the topic of marriage arises, all the talk of equality ceases. Over fifty percent of all people in the United States oppose homosexual marriage, despite the fact that most are otherwise supportive of homosexual rights. This means that many of the same people who are even passionately in favor of homosexual rights oppose homosexuals on this one issue. This is because there is a lot of misunderstanding about what homosexuality really is, as well as the erroneous assumption that homosexual people enjoy the same civil rights protections as everyone else. For the reasons of ending social injustice, the economic and social benefits of allo wing homosexuals to marry, and the constitution, homosexual marriages should be a legalized institution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homosexuals are often treated unjustly socially. Homosexual people and couples are treated as inferior to that of heterosexuals. The values that homosexual couples exhibit in their daily lives are often indistinguishable from those of their straight neighbors. They're loyal to their mates, and are devoted partners. Many of the reasons offered for opposing homosexual marriage are based on the assumption that homosexuals have a choice in which they can feel attracted to, and the reality is quite different. Many people actually believe that homosexuals could simply choose to be heterosexual if they wished. But the reality is that very few do have a choice; any more than very few heterosexuals could choose which sex to find them attracted to. Additionally, many people continue to believe the propaganda from right-wing religious organizations that homosexuality is about nothing but sex, considering it to be merely a sexual perversion. Homosexual relationships are just like heterosexual ones, and are much more about love and affection than they are about sex. And this is what homosexual relationships are based on: mutual attraction, love and affection. Sex, in a committed homosexual relationship, is merely a means of expressing that love, just the same ... ...o deny that the right to marriage whomever you may choose is constitutionally guaranteed. Homosexuals, targets of discrimination and social injustice, deserve to have equal opportunities and rights as every other person in America, homosexual or straight. Homosexual marriages are accepted already by the Constitution, and they offer nothing but economic and social benefits if legalized, therefore there is no real reason as to why homosexual marriages should not be legalized. Legg, Joshua. Interview. 17 May 2004. 23 Nov. 2004 . Cooperman, Alan. â€Å"Christian Groups Say They Won't Give Up.† The Washington Post. Jul. 15, 2004. . â€Å"Q&A: Same-Sex Marriage.† The Washington Post. Mar. 10, 2004. . Rauch, Jonathan. Gay Marriage : Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America. New York: Times Books, 2004. 1-224. Baird, Robert M., and Stuart E. Rosenbaum. Same-Sex Marriage: The Moral and Legal Debate. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 1997. 1-242. Nieves, Evelyn. â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage Issue Fires Up Gays.† The Washington Post. Nov. 1, 2004. . Civil Rights: Brown v. Board of Education I (1954). 12 Jan. 2005. National Center for Public Policy Research. 24 Jan. 2005 .