“Demographic information gleaned from the registered licenses also shows the newlywed same-sex couples were older and better educated than the average American household. More than 74 percent were over age 35, while 69 percent had at least one college degree” (Murphy). Although marriage between same-sex marriages interferes with the traditional purpose of marriage, procreation; gay marriage should remain legal in California because it justifies equality by allowing them to be socially accepted in society, it creates equality economically for taxes and finances, and reiterates that religious beliefs in all faiths should not dictate society.
The traditional purpose of a marriage is procreation. Many people fear that same-sex marriages will interfere with the traditional procreation process and disrupt society. “I often hear that “traditional marriage furthers the state's interest in procreation--and that opening marriage to same-sex couples would dilute, diminish, and devalue this goal”. (Olson) Beliefs that procreation will be greatly affect by the marriage of same-sex couples goes hand and hand with the belief that procreation should only be between a man and a women. “The purpose of marriage is procreation and the responsible rearing of children by a woman and a man. Extending to gays and lesbians the right to marry would undermine traditional marriage, and therefore, governments have a valid reason to maintain the traditional definition of it.”(Hanna) Advocates state that it is important for a child to be raised with a mother and a father because they need both a male influence in their life and a female figure in their life. "Under an equal protection argument, traditional marriage laws reasonably promote responsible procreati...
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Works Cited
The Decision Has a Host of Implications. "Married Same-sex Couples Gain Equal Tax Benefits." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Jan. 2014
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Same-sex marriage really got big in the 1970’s when Richard John “Jack” Baker and James Michael, both students of the University of Minnesota, applied for a marriage license. They were denied the application by a Hennepin County District Court clerk Gerald Nelson. Both Baker and McConnell sued Nelson, because they said the law made no mention of gender. The trial court and Supreme Court both agreed with Nelson and denied the partners request. Baker
Soule, S. A. (2004). Going to the Chapel? Same Sex Marriage Bans in the United States. Social Problems, 453-477.
On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across all 50 U.S. states with the ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges. They ruled that under the Fourteenth Amendment (which states “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”), same-sex married couples must be recognized as married and no state can
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A debate is raging in America about who people have a right to marry. In response to lesbians and gays asking for the right to marry, many legislators are writing laws to ban same-sex marriage in their respective states. Even President Bush supports a Constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage (prez.bush.marriage/). Opponents of such legislation do not want discrimination passed into law and are protesting at every opportunity. One must understand the reasons that people want to ban same-sex marriage before he or she can effectively argue about the subject. Many advocates of same-sex marriage bans say that allowing gays and lesbians to marry would degrade the institution of marriage because marriage is only supposed to exist between a man and woman. In addition, allowing same-sex marriage would cause problems for society (Issues and Controversies on File). One theory why opponents may fight against same-sex marriages is that heterosexual marriages have long reinforced traditional gender roles within marriage and that allowing same-sex marriages would cause males to lose their authority to subordinate females as heterosexual couples begin to model same-sex marriage gender equality (Calhoun 157).
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Throughout the recent history of America, gay marriage has always been an issue. With the different views and morals everyone has on the subject, it makes it hard for individual states to determine what side they should be on. In 1983 a Harvard Law School student, Evan Wolfson, wrote a thesis stating the rule of marriage equality. Justices concluded that gay couples were entitled to the legal benefits of civil marriage; and most crucially in the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts, whose favorable ruling, in a suit by lawyer Mary Bonauto and the Boston-based Gay and Lesbian Advocated and Defenders, led to the nation’s first bona fide same-sex marriages…” (“Gay Marriage turns 10 and Credit Should Be Spread around- The Boston Globe). On May 17, 2004 Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriages. In June of 2013, California legalized gay marriages, which helped their large LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered) community. (“History and Timeline of the Freedom…”). When this finally happened, it was seen as a great achievement by Karmala Harris, a California Attorney. “This is a profound day in our country, and its just the right thing: ‘Justice is finally being served’” (“Court Gives OK for California Gay Marriages”).
There are many benefits allowed to those in a marriage, whether it deals with inheritance, or tax breaks. Legally after a spouse dies, any assets such as property, money, vehicles are given to the surviving spouse provided the deceased hasn’t written otherwise in their will. While for those who aren’t allowed to be married, can’t legally inherit any of their partners assets without a written will saying so (Inheritance Law). Furthermore, the standard deduction per person was $5,950, regardless of one’s relationship status; married couples are often given personal and dependent exemptions. These exemptions can be approximately $4,000 per person. For couples earning less than $110,000 a year, every person in a household is given a free $3,800 tax exemption along with $1,000 per child. In other words, children are very beneficial when it comes to tax breaks. Why should people of the same sex, who wish to celebrate their love for one another through marriage, be excluded from such benefits? If the United States truly wishes to have equality, gay marriage should be allowed throughout the entire country (Tax Benefits).
...(2004, May 24). The Rise of the Gay Family. U.S. News & World Report, p. 40.
Stoddard, T, Fein, B, (Jan. 1990) Gay Marriage, Personal relationships, Marriage, Legislation, Homosexuality, American Bar Association, (Pages 42, 42)
Many individuals’ idea of the conventional marriage was viewed simply to be a sacred union shared between a male and a female. People who oppose gay marriage believe gay marriage legalization has no positive actions on economic issues. To prove others wrong, one example is that gay marriage made an economic impact in New Jersey that raised $248 million dollars in 3 years by creating about 800 new jobs and added $19 million dollars to government funding. (Vespa-Papaleo) “The Comptroller for New York City found that legalizing gay marriage would bring $142 million to the city’s economy and $184 million to the state’s economy over three years.” (Thompson) Money for a legal marriage license require money that creates a result of higher tax incomes and decreases state benefits program costs. (Perry) Every individual should be equal and given the same rights and shouldn’t be restricted from right to marry anyone they choose and so, same sex marriage should be legalized.