Gay Marriage

Society appreciates those who have fashioned families because of the social stability and productivity such groups supply. A family may be expressed as a part of co-dependent and cooperating persons, connected together over time by strong social and emotional bonds. Its central purpose is to support the social, mental, physical, emotional development, and well being of each of its members. Same-sex couples form the same kind of family structures. It is now time to support same-sex relationships in the same way opposite-sex relationships are supported therefore by allowing the opportunity of legal marriage.

Some religious groups have now elbowed their way into legislative debates and also into court cases, this is really not a religious matter. Legal marriage for anyone, whether they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, is a matter of civil law, a contract that uses legal commitments and benefits for a couple. Religious bodies instead offer ceremonial services, which do not, and should never, hold the power of law.

Marriage is a symbol of social maturity. Legal marriage was before denied, as a means of social control, to black people in the early years of the United States. It was also applied to reject the humanity of an entire class of people.

Interracial marriage was illegal in 13 U.S. states until 1967 when it was finally set right in Loving v. Virginia. This is why the objection against same-sex marriage seems the same to those used against black people; for instance, the idea that allowing marriage would somehow weaken the institution of marriage.

To deny the right to marriage is to keep lesbian and gay families in a permanent position of childishness, one being subject to the whims and rules of the "parental" state law. This denial refuses to recognize the authenticity of a same-sex household as a valid family.

No matter how long the relationship, nor how deep the commitments, as long as same-sex couples are unable to marry, they are considered legal strangers. This means they have practically no standing in the eyes of the law. The penalty for these couples are varied and significant. For instance, even with a power of attorney form, or other legal documents, partners have been denied access to each other in favor of blood relatives in hospitals and at funerals. Besides domestic partner benefits, there are discounted club and other memberships offered to married couples.

Also, in just one fee, generally about $35, a legal marriage license take the place of the price of drawing wills, powers of attorney, and relationship agreements, which can consequently run into the thousands of dollars. Also theses documents require to be updated every few years. Married people may also want to prepare these documents; but unmarried couples must have them to protect the legal standing of their relationship as best they can.

Legal marriage is designed to protect intimacy in the relationship. It does this through the rights of visitation, medical decision-making, survivorship, child custody, redress for wrongful death, etc.

Marriage partners have priority over other next-of-kin concerning the disposition of property, funeral rites and body remains. Even those couples with wills and related agreements have been sued by relatives -- sometimes on grounds of dementia and/or undue influence -- because they weren't, after all, legal spouses. Frequent news reports confirm that same-sex life partners often have been denied a voice in their partner's medical decisions, funerals and burial sites.

Married couples cannot be compelled to testify against each other in court. States recognize that the possibility of being called to testify can impair the intimacy of the relationship. This right allows marriage partners to be trusted confidants. Of course, unmarried same-sex partners can be forced to testify against