The Issue of same sex marriage 1

Same-Sex Marriage Equality

Haley Mardis

James Madison University

The Issue of same sex marriage 2

Controversy of same-sex marriage is prevalent in America and all over the world today.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the history, effect, and science of the issue today. In

conclusion, my views did not change on the issue because I have always supported it and did my

research in this favor.

Every single millions of Americans are discriminated against and are made to feel as if

they are unimportant. Every single day someone is hurt physically, mentally or emotionally for

being different. Although Same-Sex marriage in the U.S. has been legalized since 2015 the

LGBT community is still facing the cruel reality of violence and verbal abuse nationwide. Gay-

marriage is a marriage or unity between 2 partners of the same sex (as recognized in some

jurisdictions). Same-Sex marriage has been proven to be beneficial to our society and does not

affect any person who doesnt wish to be involved. Americans throughout the nation should be

more aware of this issue, it targets all Americans and all those of the LGBT community because

it is a problem directly addresses these groups.

The first source researched was a history of the legislative cases and obstacles the issue

of same-sex marriage has been through. The first breakthrough for the issue was in 1993, Same-

sex marriage (2017) The author states 3 main Hawaii couples were the first cases to be

represented in the Supreme Court for this issue. This step was crucial to the further progress and

forward movement of the issue. The article gave this research a critical a background to the

paper. Furthermore, the cases we looked into more depth, and the court concluded that the state

needed to provide an adequate reason that same-sex marriage was unlawful. In Same-Sex

Marriage (2017) the article reports the Judge Kevin Chang made the decision that same-sex
The Issue of same sex marriage 3

marriage was unfair and unjust and there was not a just reason that it should have been illegal.

This rattled the nation with some shock and some disbelief. This was the beginning of a

movement that would change the nation. Throughout the years the U.S. made little progress in

the movement until a case in 2012 arose. The article Same-Sex marriage (2017) claims that

after a womens wife died she had to pay federal estate tax which had they been in a traditional

marriage, the problem would not have arisen. On another side, a heterosexual couple would have

not done this, they would have been given the federal marital tax deduction. In 2013 The

Supreme Court ruled the DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unlawful. The article also debunks

any form of prejudice towards same-sex marriage involving religion. Same-Sex marriage

concludes that the LGBT community faced many obstacles and a long road to equality, where

they now are beneficial to the society.

In the second research source, there is the topic of children in same-sex household and

children in heterosexual households. In his article, Children in Same-Sex households are

healthier than their peers (2015) Nicholas Jackson reports that children in households with

parents of the same gender are actually healthier than others around them. There has been an

ongoing controversy or argument that children that are parented by same-sex parents are not as

healthy as children in traditional households. Jackson reports that in a study conducted by the

Australian study of child health in Same-Sex familiar concluded that children were happier and

healthier than those around them. They found that these children were more likely to be outgoing

and handle issues in a better way given their situation. The research concludes that children are

more responsive to the encouragement of individuality. The article concludes that being part of
The Issue of same sex marriage 4

the LGBT community is just as healthy and productive as being part of the straight and

traditional community.

It has been long established that the LGBT community are exposed to prejudice and bigotry.

This is an issue to do with human rights, being that the tile of the source Gay Marriage is a

Human Rights Issue. In her article Gay Marriage is a Human Rights issue (2012) Marrianne

Mollmann reports that Gay marriage is simply a human rights issue among the world. The author

states that not only in America is it an issue, but in Brazil for example, over 2,500 men were

killed in a short span of time for being part of the LGBT community. Not only is it an issue in

America, but a global issue as well. The LGBT community is being treated as if they are

inadequate and nothing to our society. There is a piece in the article that also addresses same-sex

marriage and children, where the author states there is adequate research concluding that children

in same-sex gender parent families are just as or if not more likely to become adjusted to

situations than traditional families. This seems to be because they are used to a situation that is

not socially considered normal and they adjusted to it. The

children are subjected to more damage if their parents are denied the right to marry, and face

violence or mental abuse which can also damage the children as well.

In comparing my first article compared, Children in Same-Sex households are healthier than

their peers the main point concluded by the author Dr. Simon Crouch, a public health doctor

and researcher at the University of Melbournes McCaughey VicHealth Centre told The Sydney

Morning Herald This fosters openness and means children tend to be more resilient (Jackson,

2015). In comparison, the article Gay marriage is a Human Rights Issue has the main topic that

just because parents are LGBT, they are poor parents. Prejudice and Bigotry were main thoughts
The Issue of same sex marriage 5

of what causes damage among children usually given off by traditional families to their children.

It is not exposure to diversity but rather bigotry and prejudice that is damaging to kids

(Mollmann, 2012). The similarities between these articles is the aspect of childrens health and

how they are raised and how they will be affected. They are both in agreement that Being gay is

just as healthy as being straight. That goes for the children of same-sex parents too (Jackson,

2015).

The relationship between the next two sources is due to the obstacles and hardships the

LGBT community has faced for decades. In the article Same-Sex marriage The author

exemplifies through his words just how long the LGBT community waited for their equal rights

to be granted. In May 2012, President Barack Obama publicly declared his support for same-

sex marriage, becoming the first sitting president to do to (Same-Sex Marriage, 2017). Article

number two Gay marriage is a human rights issue Mollmann writes about her personally

experiences with the oppression towards the LGBT community. For too many people it is only

a short leap from seeing homosexuality as offensive to justifying physical harm (Mollmann,

2012). The relation is the hatred they face now even though it has been publicly supported and

the hatred they faced before.

In Jacksons article, he describes the science behind the research that concludes children

in same-sex households are healthier than their friends. The other article Same-sex marriage is

simply a timeline of the events leading to the legalization of LGBT marriage. The two are

different because where as one is strictly science the other is the history of the issue.

Jacksons article Children in same-sex households are healthier than their peers, and

Mollmans article Gay marriage is a human rights use the main contrasting principle is that one

article is the topic of childrens damage and that they lesser and less productive because of their
The Issue of same sex marriage 6

parents whereas the other article describes the parents as being lesser and less productive because

they are gay. Mollmann states The is that thousands of human beings are subjected to violence

across the globe simply because they are suspected of being gay (Mollmann, 2012). This

exemplifies the issue of the parents being treated as lesser. Jackson in his article Children in

same-sex households are healthier than their peers when she says Being gay is just as healthy

as being straight. The goes for the children of same-sex parents too (Jackson, 2015). People

throughout believe that children are lesser if their parents are gay as well as the parents. The

contrasting concludes they are different in the way of who is being discriminated against.

From my research, I have learned many things about the topic and become educated on

the issue, I can now realize how much their community struggled and how much they still do.

My viewpoint throughout the research of this topic never really changed, I had always supported

the view of same-sex marriage. I support the legalization of same-sex marriage and the

preferences of each and every individual. Each source had a different effect on how I perceived

the issue and how it was actually happening in the world. Further research I feel is not necessary

but could be beneficial if decided there should be opposing viewpoints.

The Issue of same sex marriage 7

References Page

Jackson, N. (2015). Children in same-sex households are healthier than their peers. Retrieved

from

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ommentary=true

Mollmann, M. (2012). Gay marriage is a human rights issue. Retrieved from

http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?

displayGroupName=Viewpoints&jsid=770b95c86499ed83d43b5448fa5b0c9b&action=2

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a5e072e8625132f26e

Same-sex marriage. (2017). Retrieved from

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