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Meaning of marriage
Meaning of marriage
Define the concept marriage
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What is marriage? Marriage is defined as the legal union of a man and a woman. According to Psychology Today, marriage is the process by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official, and permanent. While given the definition of marriage and most of society making same sex marriage nearly impossible; Psychology Today recognizes that “any” two people who love each other can come together and be united. In 1970, in Minnesota, the first gay couple to apply for a marriage license in the U.S. was Jack Baker and Michael McConnell and they were not allowed to marry. However, on May 2013 Minnesota finally legalized same sex marriage and the law would be effective starting August 2013. They had to wait over 40 years to finally be happy about the wedding they wanted and becoming legally married. In 1975, two men from Phoenix, Arizona were granted a marriage license from their county clerk. Nevertheless, marriage is still banned in more than half of the United States of America.
Why is gay marriage prohibited in most of the U.S.A.? In spite of elected officials not legalizing same sex marriage, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) mentions that gay and lesbian couples want the same rights as married couples and more than half or majority of Americans feel that they should have a legal agreement that gives them those rights. (History of State Constitutional Marriage Bans, 2011-2013). Many elected officials are against same sex marriage whereas the president of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama, is the first U.S. president to support same sex marriage. Traditionally, same sex marriage is wrong and morally it is wrong as well. However, we can say that there are a lot of American traditions that are being broken and tha...
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...ter. Gale. City Colleges Of Chicago. 12 Oct. 2013
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Hallett, Stephanie. "History Of Gay Marriage In The United States (INFOGRAPHIC)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 15 July 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.
"History of State Constitutional Marriage Bans." Human Rights Campaign. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.
"KidsHealth." Sexual Orientation. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.
Rich Mkhondo. "Gay Families Are the Same as Traditional Families." Opposing Viewpoints: Gay Parenting. Ed. Beth Rosenthal. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. City Colleges Of Chicago. 12 Oct. 2013
"Traditional Marriage?" Faith in America. Faith in America, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.
Wolf, Richard. “Timeline: Same-Sex marriage through the years.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 26 June 2015,
Soule, S. A. (2004). Going to the Chapel? Same Sex Marriage Bans in the United States. Social Problems, 453-477.
"The American Gay Rights Movement: A Timeline." Infoplease. Highbeam Research, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2014.
Being so advanced technologically, it is surprising how America is still so behind on the issue of same-sex marriage. The United States should push aside the religious argument in this debate, and truly separate its church and state as it claims to do so. From its slow beginning to the rapid increase of support in the 70’s, homosexual marriage has been a controversial debate that hopefully will end in the near future.
Winn, P. (2003). Q&A: why not same-sex marriage. Citizen Link. Retrieved April 25, 2004, from http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0028908.cfm
Wolfson, Evan. Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004. Print.
Nieves, Evelyn. “Same-Sex Marriage Issue Fires Up Gays.” The Washington Post. Nov. 1, 2004. .
Stoddard, Thomas. “Gay Marriage: Make Them Legal”. Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Pages 31 – 52. Bedford Books. Boston. 1996
Stoddard, T, Fein, B, (Jan. 1990) Gay Marriage, Personal relationships, Marriage, Legislation, Homosexuality, American Bar Association, (Pages 42, 42)
"Gay Marriage Timeline - Gay Marriage - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014
The idea that marriage can only be between a man and a woman is an antiquated belief. While understanding and sympathizing with the concern that same-sex marriage will change the traditional definition of marriage, people must come to realize that same-sex unions have no effect on heterosexual relationships. People can argue rights or family life or religion, constituting a strong argument, but ultimately, no argument is as strong as that of equality. Marriage is a celebration of life and love that should be available to both heterosexual and same sex couples.
"Florida Gay Marriage." Law Office of Gideon I Alper RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.
Laycock, Douglas, Anthony R. Picarello, and Robin Fretwell. Wilson. Same-sex Marriage and Religious Liberty: Emerging Conflicts. [Washington, D.C.]: Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, 2008. Print.
Wolfson, Evan. (1999). Winning and Keeping the Freedom to Marry for Same-Sex Couples. Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples. 26 paragraphs. Available: http://www.eskimo.com/~demian/wolfson1.html. [2000, May 22].
America is a country known for its freedom, yet people are told who they can and cannot marry. According to Kim Richards a case in Hawaii in 1993 where judges said the state’s constitution required a good reason not to give gay’s equal marriage rights. Congress was pushed to pass the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevented homosexuals who were allowed to marry from receiving the usual benefits of marriage, like taxes and retirement. In response states have made their stand on domestic partnerships and civil unions. DOMA was passed out of fear that a lawsuit filed in Hawaii would make them allow same sex marriage. The congress did not want to allow same sex couples the same benefits heterosexual couples receive while legally married (4-6). Opponents of DOMA claims it violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment and the Full Faith and Credit Clause. By 2002, thirty-six states banned same-sex marriage or recognizing of same-sex marriage formed in other states (Richards 4-6). Benjamin Wittes says the uproar began in 1991 when Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, and liberals became upset claiming it was a contradiction to our free country (46-48). Dayton says Massachusetts was the first state to sign the bill to allow marriage equality in their state. While republican opponents win the legislative fight with twenty-one states denying marriage equality while just ten have granted the rights to homosexual couples. Polls have shown the majority of America, even including one of our most liberal states, California, remains against gay marriage. After the bill passing in Massachusetts in 2003, thirteen states passed anti-gay-marriage initiatives. Gay right activists are in hopes that states will not follow (...