People who are against same-sex marriage say that it should not be legalized so as “to protect traditional marriage and the traditional family”.
Protect it from what, of course? What is so dangerous about same sex marriage that we have to protect “normal” marriage? Same sex marriage isn’t a war. Same sex marriage is basically like any other “normal” marriage. It’s an expression of one’s love for another. Marriage isn’t exactly the same as it used to be, either.
Mixed marriage used to be illegal. The American Psychological Association supports homosexuality and same sex marriage. They believe that same sex marriage is perfectly natural. Also, it is important for mental health that same sex couples be given the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities as heterosexual couples.
Research by the APA has also shown that marriage provides substantial psychological and physical health benefits due to the moral, economic and social support extended to married couples. Conversely, recent empirical evidence has illustrated the harmful psychological effect of policies restricting marriage rights for same-sex couples. Additionally, children raised by same-sex couples have been shown to be on par with the children of opposite-sex couples in their psychological adjustment, cognitive abilities and social functioning.Other opponents argue that children are safer in “normal” marriages. A topic debate is the effects on children that are raised by same sex couples. Marriage protects children and gives them certain benefits.
Denying same sex couples marriage sometimes denies their children the medical and insurance benefits given to children of standard couples. Studies show that children raised by same sex couples are well adjusted and happy. Kids need good role models and loving parents. Gender is a factor in neither of those needs. Here was an article written by a kid raised by a same sex couple, explaining more on how there really isn’t a difference between same sexes coupled families and normal families.”I stand as living proof that one can be raised by a same-sex couple, and a couple plagued by the grueling trials of progressive Multiple Sclerosis at that, and still turn out all right,” he wrote.
“Without shameless self-promotion I have experienced success in speech and debate, journalism and academics, am politically involved in my community and have received acceptance to prestigious colleges across the country. Same-sex parents are not, by definition, unfit to parent and same-sex families are not, by definition, any more troubled than ‘regular’ families. I have found positive male role models in my life who have set outstanding examples for my own behavior, but the strength demonstrated by my MS-stricken biological mother has been surpassed by none I have met. It is with great pride that I call myself her son. And soon, it will hopefully be with great pride that she calls her partner, Jackie, her wife.
“Many states are starting to reconsider and allow same sex marriage. Hawaii lawmakers approved a bill to allow civil unions for same-sex couples, marking an end to what the governor called an “emotional process” for a longtime battleground in the gay rights movement. This should be the same for all the other countries and states that ban same sex marriage. The Canadian government ruled on June 10th 2003 to overturn the laws that prevented same sex couples from marrying.
American couples can go to Canada to tie the knot, but it remains to be seen whether or not those same-sex marriages will be recognized by the United States government. President Bush and the Pope have both come out publicly against the sanction of same-sex unions.At the end of the day, same sex marriage will still be a popular topic of debate because of people who ban some things and let some things of the same kind pass. Same sex marriage does no harm to society. Most people will agree that the ban on same sex marriages is nothing more than prejudice at work. Soon, we will look back at the arguments against same-sex marriages and see, like the ban on interracial marriages, that they are backed by nothing more than racism, prejudice and fear.Politics
