Legalization of Same-Sex Marriages Worldwide

Legalization of Same-Sex Marriages Worldwide

Marriage is originally “a legal and social sanctioned union, usually between a man and a woman” (Liesangthem). Before the 20th century, people married for monetary benefits or political reasons; they married with no public acknowledgement and or announcement. Slowly, marriage changed from a practice to a constitution and became an individual commitment between two parties pursuing “love, stability, and happiness” (“How Marriage Has Changed”). The definition of marriage has also been modified as more same-sex couples have stood out and declared their sexual preference, even though they are still considered outcasts in society and are deprived of marriage rights in certain states. This heightened awareness has led to several initiatives to fight for the rights for the homosexual couples, such as Pink Dot Sg and Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Several states thus have also legalized same-sex marriages. With these increasing support and acceptance towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, same-sex marriage should be legalized, for it will not weaken the institution of marriage but give economic benefits and increases the adoption rate.

Pink Dot Sg is a profitless campaign initiated by a group of people who are deeply concerned about the place that LGBT Singaporeans address as home. It is a group for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, who advocates the belief that everyone deserves the power to love (“About Pink Dot Sg”). The HRC is American’s biggest civil rights institution hoping to achieve LGBT equality. It works to stop discrimination against LGBT citizens and discover a society that attains elementary “fairness and equality for all” (“Mission S...

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...als, we need to increase the awareness of homophobic through different platforms.

As homophobia has caused significant effects on youths, schools can work with organizations to hold a talk for the students to tackle homophobic bullying. To reach out to a larger crowd, certain posters can be pasted on the buses or trains to “raise awareness of the negative use of homophobic words” (Yong). An example could be the posters from ‘Guide to Gay Stereotypes’ by Paper Escapade that depicts various stereotypes.

The law should not prevent two people of the same sex from loving each other but allow them to openly commemorate their commitment. Just as President Joe Solmonese said, “Why wouldn’t two people, who have spent their lives committed to one another, be granted the same human rights that most others take granted for? (“Answers to Questions About Marriage Equality”)