“With liberty and justice for all.”  The last phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance states this simple fact, but does not hold true in America’s honorable society.  Same-sex, or gay as others would like to call it, marriage is an issue in the government that is still widely debated on nowadays.  It is controversial and ever since an actual government began, there has never been a complete end, or final decision, as to what the true verdict is.  All around the world there are arguments over whether gay marriage is allowed or not, and in many states and countries, this idea of a same-sex relationship is banned.  Many believe that this type of relationship is not harmful, and should be acknowledged, but several others see it as a crime and should not be allowed.  The people who are faced with these problems have the same, equal rights as anyone in the United States, let alone the world, and should have the right to be in a same-sex relationship.

        History has shown that there have been changes in the topic of gay marriage as governments and leaders differ over time.  The first country to legally allow the gay marriage relationships is the Netherlands, and following this country, the United States has followed in certain states (Hurd).  Although it is relatively “new” to many, it started a while back where many same sex unions have existed, from informal to ritualized relationships.  China and Japan are two of many that acknowledged these relationships through ceremonies or tradition. 

        Internationally, gay marriage is still on the top of most lists because of the controversy in politics, religion, and secular topics.  Some of the countries in which same-sex marriages are legal are in Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, and Sweden.  A bill was raised in Parliament in Israel to rescind the High Court’s ruling, but the debate is still talked over.  A commission of French national Assembly published a report where same-sex marriage was rejected because of the future of children.  It states that “the child represents the future of society and the interest of the child must take precedence over adults’ with regards to parents’ lifestyle choices” (Bradley).  Australia’s government also bans gay marriage, but the Australian Labor Party and Australia Capital Territory do encourage it, and have civil unions and registered partnership legislations to change the government’s law.  On the other hand, Canada approved the marriage in 2005, but since then, the Conservative Government is trying to put forth a bill proposing to repel the idea, but it is not being taken into effect presently.  Many are also using this argument to favor their position in leading, such as Portuguese’s Prime Minister, Jose Socrates, on January 21, 2009.  He plans to allow same-sex couples, and other organizations agree with this thought.  Sadly, in 2005, New Zealand prohibited same-sex marriage.  As one can see, areas around the world still have ways to go before the same-sex marriage disputes end. 

        As for the United States of America, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire are the only states out of the 50 that have allowed gay marriage.  California once allowed it, but since Proposition 8 was passed, the law had to be changed into no longer allowing this (France-Presse).  In 1996, the United States Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, where it defined marriage as solely a union between a man and a woman.  It emerged as a reply to situation where three same-sex couples filed a lawsuit against the state of Hawaii claiming that marriage laws prevent same-sex couples from marrying violated the couples’ right to privacy and equal protection.  The case was almost dismissed, but the law disobeys equal protection if the government did so, so the case was held.  The judge of the Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled that the state must issue licenses to the three couples on the grounds of no convincing evidence, and the case is now on appeal.  In the meantime, Hawaii has passed a law that establishes “reciprocal beneficiaries” for a fee of eight dollars; same-sex couples may receive a state certificate qualifying them (Kelman 627).  Eighteen other states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have legal statutes that define marriage as a union of two persons of the opposite-sex.  Change once again may occur since President Barack Obama has been elected to office because in his political platform, he included full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (Kelman 582). 

        Nearly 70% of the people in the United States opposes gay marriage, almost the same proportion as the other supporters of gay rights, which means that many of the same people who are in favor of gay rights oppose gays on the issue.  But the main question is why? It is mainly due to a misunderstanding of what homosexuality is, in addition to the assumption that gay people enjoy the same civil rights protections as everyone else.  The many stereotypes about gay relationships also present a huge misunderstanding of what marriage is all about.  These include that gays are promiscuous, unable to form lasting relationships, and that the connections between the two people are shallow and uncommitted.  It is important to note that in straight societies, relationships that have the same problems as those mentioned previously that gay marriages stereotypically have, are also found.  Gay couples are just as loyal and devoted to their partners as straights are. They value and participate in family life and try to make communities a safer and better place to live.  Same-sex relationships are based on mutual attraction, love, and affection and if anything, part of a person’s core identity. 

        Same-sex marriages have actual benefits in favor of supporting the system.  For example, dignity and respect are gained because the people involved are still making a lifetime commitment to each other.  In addition, equal rights are obtained because denying marriage to same-sex couples remove the important human right – the right to marry the person that one loves and made a commitment.  Lastly and most importantly, financial and security aid is provided.  Denying one group the right to marry has many consequences on programs such as Social Security, Medicare, medical leave, property inheritance, the right to visit their spouse in the hospital, make medical decisions if they are incapacitated, and security of the couple and other the children. 

        There are many reasons as to why people do not encourage gay marriage because of the obvious reasons.  Firstly, one may believe that marriage is only an institution between one man and one woman.  Although this is usually true, marriage is between two people, different or same sexes, who love each other and plan to be committed.  Another belief is that marriage is for procreation and for ensuring the continuation of the species.  Again, this is not very persuading because just because a couple cannot have a baby, implies that they are not able to be married.  In addition, one of the major problems of the world is the overpopulation and increasing anarchy that result from a higher birth rate.  Others also create the image that same-sex couples are not the proper “environment” to raise children.  This is rather amusing because stating this fact means that children who are raised by criminals are better than those by the same-sex couple.  Straight or gay couples show the same amount of love and affection for their child, and that is all that should matter.  Another fact is that gay relationships are immoral and would threaten then institution of marriage.  If both these statements are true, then who or what stated it.  Proof needs to be shown in order to truly believe the reasons one would be “afraid” of gay marriages. Other ridiculous thoughts include that marriage is traditionally a heterosexual institution and that same-sex marriage is an untried social experiment.  Two of the obviously crazy ones include same-sex marriage causing a downward slope towards horrible consequences and granting gays the right to marry is a “special” right.   If gay marriages did cause consequences, then why would other countries, such as Scandinavia, still hold strong and are not falling down that slope.  Also, in the Bill of Rights, every person has the same rights and is already equal; so making gay people more “special” is not following the law. 

        On the contrary, the ones stated previously are not entirely true.  The true reasons that people oppose gay marriage is because they are not comfortable with the idea, it offends religions, marriage is a sacred institution, mating with someone of the same sex betrays the masculine side of men and is unnatural, the thought of two gays is repulsive, they might recruit, and gay marriage would undermine sodomy laws and legitimize homosexuality.  People fear gay marriage, and all the opinions of everyone else do not help the situation in any manner.  It is true the some religions, such as Christianity and Judaism are against same-sex marriages, but Buddhism supports the right, so it does not completely offend religion.  Almost all the statements are thoughts one has when seeing a couple, but most of the time is untrue, such as gay men not being masculine.  The thoughts of others should not affect whether or not such marriages should occur. 

        Gay marriage is an extremely controversial topic which has a long way to go before coming to a final decision.  Many people believe that they have an argument against same-sex relationships, but in reality, they are just afraid of the truth.  As Justice Anthony Kennedy says, “We cannot accept the view that Amendment 2’s prohibition on specific legal protections does no more than deprive homosexuals of special rights.  To the contrary, the amendment imposes a special disability on those persons alone.  Homosexuals are forbidden the safeguards that others enjoy or may seek without constraint” (Miller).

Works Cited

Bradley, Brent. “Gay Marriage: Ban is People’s Will.” Letters Unlimited. 7 June. 2009.

France-Presse, Agence.  “California Upholds Gay Marriage Ban, but Wedding Stands.”  The Vancouver Sun.  27 May. 2009.

Hurd, Charles.  When the New Deal was Young and Gay.  New York: Hawthorn Books, Inc., 1965.

Kelman, Steven.  American Government. Texas: Austin. 1999.

Miller, Neil.  In Search of Gay America, Women and Men in a Time of  Change.  New York: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1989.