Gay Marriage

According, to Merriam-WebsterÐŽÐ--s Dictionary, one definition of marriage is

defined as ЎИthe state of being united to a person of the same sex in a

relationship like that of a traditional marriage.ЎЙ If this definition is

true, why does society and the U.S. government intervene and judge same-sex

marriages? The topic continues to arise in political debates whether or not

same-sex marriages are right or wrong, with same sex marriages in the U.S.

today, society is forced to ask the question, why are couples of the

same-sex not legally recognized as married couples? Same sex marriages

should be legal because it would positively effect the advancement and

development of society.

A 2000 Newsweek poll shows that 83% of all Americans believe that gay people should have access to equal rights in terms of employment and public accommodations. This is up from just 56% in 1977. Many arguments any arguments have been put forth as to why gay marriage should or should not be legalized in this country. Some have argued eloquently about sanctity of marriage [1] and the fact that traditional marriage protects the woman from abandonment after childbirth and prevents incest [2]. Gay marriage advocates have argued that preventing gay marriage is a form of "discrimination" and that the economic benefits of traditional marriage are unfair. Opponents have carefully argued with facts and statistics that gay marriage will lead to mental health problems in the children of gay couples, that it will hasten social disintegration as it has done in certain European countries. Others have argued that legalizing gay marriage will automatically create the right for gay couples to create children from their own DNA by human cloning [3].

These arguments are all valid, sound, and important. However, the arguments presented so far against gay marriage are also abstract and therefore ultimately unconvincing at a deep level. The arguments about the dangers of gay marriage and benefits of traditional marriage fail because they do not address the real reason gay couples wish to get married. The