Victoria Houghton

Mr. Frank
English 1030-19
March 19, 2015
Gay Marriage Views
Kinky Friedman made a statement about homosexual marriage, I support gay
marriage. I believe they have the right to be as miserable as the rest of us (BrainyQuote).
In recent years there have been many views or opinions that are for and against
homosexual couples getting married. The idea of homosexual marriage has been a topic
for debate in the past and present. Many people have different views about the subject of
a gay marriage that are conflicting of others and their ideas. There are different people
who support the gay community and are happy to have chance for equal rights in
democratic states. Quite a few people are on the opposite side of this debate and do not
think it is right or necessary for homosexuals to have the right to marriage. In this paper I
will be arguing for both sides and giving my opinion about the debate near the end.
Homosexual marriage should be allowed in all states for many reasons; it would make
homosexuals equals in the law, they dont need a churchs blessing, and a couple can
provide a homeless child with as much support and love as any heterosexual couple.
Marriage has been considered as a union between two people. In a survey given to
undergraduate students in Midwestern university asking them what they thought of
marriage by getting them to define it for themselves. The results were split up into three
different categories based on respondents answer and the wording they used. The three
themes that emerged in the survey results were: marriage as contractual, love, and the

homosexual marriage. Terms that were used to code for contractual were words like
commitment, rest of life, and permanent bond; which signify a formal commitment
between two people. The word love was the main code word used for the split of the
theme marriage as love. Out of the 179 corresponds 49% used the word love to describe
marriage. The last theme from the survey was same sex marriage and 37% of the
population took a stance on it and a little over half indicated that they were against the
idea. The emerging themes reveal that marriage is an ideograph because it is an abstract
notion that has a specific meaning that has the ability to change over time (Stassen,
Benjamin). These ideas all suggest that the idea of marriage is not as clearly defined as
some people like to think; which is why there is a debate about same sex marriage at all.
The rules of marriage have come from different religious backgrounds and through
government regulations. There are more reasons for opposers to be against same sex
marriage. (Stassen, Benjamin)
People against same sex marriage say that it should not be allowed because it is
downcast in the bible as an evil sin, gay couples cannot provide for children adequately
and is not what the idea marriage is. Some very religious people believe that Sexual
difference is woven into all of Scripture and that homosexuals should be rejected
(Schmitz, 72). Matthew Schmitz uses the Bible as a source to explain how he evolved
on his view of gay marriage to say he believes that gay people should not have the right
to marry. Piers Benn states, in many cultures, weddings are religious ceremonies in
which the blessing of God is sought for the union which provides a problem if the law
forces churches to go against their beliefs. Since religion plays a big role in the concept
of marriage between couples it is a concern for many religious peoples to have. Another

idea about why same sex marriage should not be allowed involves the younger generation
of peoples.
Antagonists of homosexual marriage use the argument that same sex couples
cannot provide an adequate family for children if there is no mother and father. David
Blankenhorn wrote Redefining marriage to include gay and lesbian couples would
eliminate entirely in law, and weaken still further in culture, the basic idea of a mother
and a father for every child (Wilson, Van Gend, 36). Through this idea of opposition to
same sex marriage people are saying that the child will miss out on a big opportunity to
have two different sex parents, like a father and a mother. The article by Tim Wilson and
David Van Gend makes the point that there are tragedies that happen where a child cannot
have both a mom and a dad and states that it is not a position the government should ever
force onto a child. The belief that a child should have both a mom and dad is a strong
position that some hold against the concept of same sex marriage. Marriage has been
known to be a more religious aspect, creating a dilemma for supporters.
The idea of same sex marriage does not follow the norm on a lot of marriage
attributes. In 2011, disbelievers of same sex marriage believed that marriage is not a
political or social invention, but a social reinforcement of biological reality and that all
our social ceremonies and laws exist to buttress nature-helping bind a man to his mate for
the sake of social stability and for the sake of the child they might create (Wilson, Van
Gend, 36). Marriage has a different meaning for people, and antagonists to same sex
marriage do not think that the union of these couples should be allowed. In their view
there can be no same-sex marriage, because marriage is essentially a sexual union
between a man and a woman, founded on a mutual vow of permanence and sexual

exclusivity (Benn 24). Opponents to the same sex marriage debate have many reasons
for believing that the union should not be created. Whether it is a religious reason, how
they define a marriage or for the children of the future, opposers all are against the idea of
homosexual marriage.
There are a lot of counter arguments to why same sex couples should be allowed
to marry. Counter arguments can be made for children not having their biological parents,
religious reasoning, marital status, and the concept of fairness. Many people want to
make same sex marriage legal to provide for equality between heterosexuals and
homosexuals (Benn, 24). This idea of fairness is that heterosexuals can get married, but
homosexuals do not have the option to get married. The concept of fairness is a broad
way to explain why people are for gay marriage. The idea of marriage is challenged by
opposers and supporters have to find contradictions to the antagonists. The supporters
have a view that boldly states, to see a couple as married is no more than to see them as
having a certificate saying they are married. If that certificate means a lot to them, by all
means let them have it (Benn, 26). Marriage is not all about religion, it is more about
having a family that supports one another and promises to keep a bond between two
people. There have been some ministers and priests who came out as gay and formed
non-denominational services geared toward gay and lesbian people of all faiths
(Chenier, 19). These religious people went against their churchs beliefs in order to
support homosexual couples and bless same sex unions (Chenier, 19). Getting a religious
blessing from a high figure shows the support for gay marriage, and is a valid
counterargument for religion being a reason to not have gay marriage.

The dispute of not being able to have both biological parents is one that comes
from an idea of a perfect world. There are several kids who have lost their parents, have
been neglected by their biological family and others who have been outright rejected.
Most of the kids in these circumstances are foster children who would love to have a
home of any kind. There are many gay couples that have already gotten to foster children
in the US alone. According to the 2000 Census there are at least one million children in
this country right now being raised either by single gay people or by gay couples
(Carpenter, 96). Because people want to deny homosexuals the right to get married these
children cannot have the protection and benefits that a marriage would provide their
families. Certain legal and caregiving benefits arise from the recognition of marriage
between couples that can have an affect on the households (Carpenter, 97). Dale
Carpenter states that homosexual parents will continue to raise children and that
opponents will not advocate removing children from same sex couples. This just is
another reason for supporting marriage equality, to provide fairness to homosexual
families through legal, caregiving, and social benefits that allow a couple to better
provide for their loved ones. A little background on the homosexual marriage might allow
for an eye opener on how recent the topic has been brought into the light.
The history behind same sex marriage is interesting at most. Many couples have
fought for marriage certificates, marriage rights, religious recognition and just
recognition as a legitimate relationship between two people of the same sex. Religion has
played an important role in the debate of homosexual marriage in many countries,
including Canada, US, and Australia. In Canada many Religious individuals and groups
presented briefs at parliamentary committee hearings and acted as expert witnesses and

interveners in court cases trying to keep homosexual marriage from being legalized
(Young, 334). Sometimes just getting recognition by the courts does not provide the legal
support families are looking for. Australia has a policy about same sex couples adopting
children, but even if gay marriage was made as a legal recognition, it would be on a
federal level and adoption is on a state level in Australia (Turnbull, 43). Many countries
and democracies have legalized gay marriage as of 2013.
Same-sex marriage became legal in England, Wales, and France, leaving Italy and
Greece as the only West European democracies that have failed to allow either
marriage or civil unions to same-sex couples. Brazil and Uruguay joined
Argentina and several Mexican states (plus the Federal District of Mexico City) in
legalizing same-sex marriage, and New Zealand became the first Asia-Pacific
country to legalize same-sex marriage. These additions bring to fifteen the
number of countries that have legalized same-sex marriage since the Netherlands
was the first to do so in 2001. (Omar, 91)
These are only some of the supporting countries. There are several other countries, like
Uganda that have not only said no to gay marriage but have repressed homosexual acts to
the point of making it illegal (Omar, 91). Activists from both sides have taken to social
media to proclaim their beliefs.
The role of news media becomes relatively important while reporting these public
debates over gay marriage, because not only do the news media affect people's
attitudes toward gays and lesbians by positively or negatively reporting the gay
and lesbian issue, but also shape people's perspectives of the same-sex marriage
policy by framing the recognition of gay marriage in the news coverage. (Pan,
Juan, Shuhua)
This broadcasting of opinion is one way for the debate to be easily sparked in the minds
of the news followers. The use of scare tactics has cast certain ideas into peoples minds.
These ideas are bound to change how people think and feel about homosexual marriage.
I support the legalization of the same sex marriage. The ideas that opponents
come up with are valid on some points, but so far the counterarguments to them have

made them seem like petty arguments. Some people are afraid of what will happen if gay
couples are able to get married. If people feel that the threat to marriage is the gays they
are profoundly mistaken. The threat to marriage is a lack of loving commitment-whether
it is found in the form of neglect, indifference, cruelty, or adultery, to name just a few
manifestations of the loveless desert in which too many marriages come to grief
(Turnbull, 45). If opponents decide to not support the right of gay marriage because they
are afraid then they need to do a little research and find out what is really going on. Many
views on same sex marriage revolve around religion, but the thing about the law and
religion is that they are supposed to be two separate things.. Gays should be allowed to
get married and form the kind of commitment that heterosexuals have had the chance to
accomplish. By allowing homosexuals to fully commit to one another in the bonds of
love and marriage commitment, they will have the chance to be considered as equals and
achieve the fairness that has been held from them.

Citation
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Cambridge. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Carpenter, Dale. "Traditionalist Case for Gay Marriage." South Texas Law Review 50.1
(2008): 93-104. HeinOnline. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Chenier, Elise. "Gay Marriage, 1970s Style." The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide 20.2
(2013): 19-21. Literature Resource Center. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Omar G. Encarnacin. "Gay Rights: Why Democracy Matters." Journal of Democracy
25.3 (2014): 90-104. Project MUSE. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Pan, Po-Lin, Juan Meng, and Shuhua Zhou. "Morality or Equality? Ideological Framing
in News Coverage of Gay Marriage Legitimization." The Social Science Journal
47.3 (2010): 630-45. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Schmitz, Matthew. "How I evolved on gay marriage." First Things: A Monthly Journal of
Religion and Public Life 245 (2014): 72+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Stassen, Heather, and Benjamin Bates. "Constructing Marriage: Exploring Marriage as an
Ideograph." Qualitative Research Reports in Communication 11.1 (2010): 1-5.
Taylor & Francis Online. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Turnbull, Malcolm. "Reflections on Gay Marriage." Southern Cross University Law 15
(2012): 39-50. HeinOnline. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Wilson, Tim, and David Van Gend. "The Gay Marriage Debate." The Institute of Public
Affairs Review 62.3 (2011): 36-37. Clemson University. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Young, P. Dickey. "Taking Account of Religion in Canada: The Debates over Gay and
Lesbian Marriage." Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 39.3 (2010): 333-61.
No Records. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
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