Vanessa Bautista

Ms. Alcaraz

ENG 11 p.6

16 February 2018

Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

In many countries such as Sudan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, gay people can be punished

with the death penalty. In October 10, 1972 one of the first Supreme Court cases was filed by a

gay couple seeking to marry. The case was named “Baker v. Nelson” and it was dismissed. One

of the first states to ban same-sex marriages was Maryland in 1973. One of the first states to

make same-sex marriage legal was Hawaii. They legalized it because they thought that banning

it would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the state Constitution. Although Hawaii was

headed into the right direction, they were stopped in 1998 when Hawaii voters approved a

constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage should be legalized

everywhere because it decreases teen suicide by a lot where it is already legal, it is a given

constitutional right, and it dramatically increases adoption rates.

Gay marriage should be legal in the U.S. because allowing it and legalizing it will

decrease teen suicide. ​In the article “Same-Sex Marriage Laws Might Decrease Teen Suicide

Attempt Rates, Study Says” AJ Wllllngham mentions that, “The journal JAMA Pediatrics

published a study on Monday that showed the number of suicide attempts among high school

students decreased in states where same-sex marriage was legal” (Wllllngham). ​The study points

out that making same-sex marriage legal is a sort of representation that shows support to those

who are scared of being who they are, therefore it will decrease teen suicide. ​Secondly, in the

article “Drop in Teenage Suicide Attempts Linked to Legislation of Same-Sex Marriage” Nicola

Davis reports that, “Suicide attempts among high school students fell by an average of 7%
Vanessa Bautista

Ms. Alcaraz

ENG 11 p.6

16 February 2018

following implementation of same-sex marriage laws, says researchers” (Davis).​ This shows that

research has been done and it has shown that youth suicide decreased by 7% which was an

immediate effect of legalizing same-sex marriage meaning that legalizing it will help drop the

percentage.​ Lastly, in the article “Same-Sex Marriage Laws Linked to Fewer Youth Suicide

Attempts, New Study Says” Corinne Segal points out that, “...with suicide attempts falling by 14

percent[...]But in states that did not legalize same-sex marriage, there was no change” (Segal).

Same-sex marriage decreased youth suicide in the states where it was getting legalized and

where it was not legalized, nothing changed.​ Same-sex marriage should be legal in the U.S.

because it will help prevent and it will also decrease youth suicide by a lot.

Gay marriage should be legal in the U.S. because it is a given constitutional right and

denying it would be a violation of the people’s rights. ​In the article “Supreme Court Rules

Same-Sex Marriage Is a Constitutional Right” Daniel Fisher notes that, “Same-sex marriage is a

fundamental constitutional right guaranteed under the 14th amendment” (Fisher). ​This means

that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right therefore if a gay couple wants to get married,

they are allowed to be married without hesitation. ​Next, in the article “How Gay Marriage

Became a Constitutional Right” Molly Ball observes that, “The high court reversed itself and

declared that gays could marry nationwide” (Ball). ​As you can see, the Supreme Court was

against same-sex marriage but then when a case was brought to court, its mind was changed so

now same-sex couples have the right to marry. ​In closing, in the article “A Right to Marry?

Same-Sex Marriage and Constitutional Law” Martha Nussbaum claims that, “The right to marry
Vanessa Bautista

Ms. Alcaraz

ENG 11 p.6

16 February 2018

as a fundamental right for Fourteenth Amendment[...]under the Equal Protections Clause; the

court states that ‘the right to marry is a fundamental importance for all individuals’”

(Nussbaum). ​It is clear that having the right to marry whomever you want is a right given to

everyone under the 14th amendment and it can’t be denied to anyone for that reason.​ Same-sex

marriage should be legal in the U.S. because under the 14th amendment and the Equal

Protections Clause, every and anyone can marry whoever they want according to the

constitution.

Gay marriage should be legal in the U.S. because enabling it will increase adoption rates

dramatically. ​For instance, in the article “Adoption by Gay Couples Rise Despite Barriers”

Sabrina Tavernise strongly argues that, “The percentage of same-sex parents with adopted

children has risen sharply” (Tavernise). ​Obviously some same-sex couples are going to want to

have kids and adoption is the best choice most of them will have so allowing them marry and

adopt will definitely increase adoption rates. ​Secondly, in the article “LGBT Adoption Statistics”

Daphe Lofquist comments that, “As the trend continues, that number will only increase, as

same-sex adoption and parenting becomes more and more widely accepted” (Lofquist).​ As a

result of accepting same-sex couple parenting and adoption, it will help kids get adopted more,

instead of them staying in an orphanage for a long period of time. ​Lastly, Daphe also states that,

“More than 16,000 same-sex couples are raising an estimated 22,000 adopted children in the

United States” (Lofquist).​ This shows that many children in the United States get adopted by

same-sex couples and studies have shown that they are raised just fine, if not better. ​Same-sex
Vanessa Bautista

Ms. Alcaraz

ENG 11 p.6

16 February 2018

marriage should be legal in the U.S. because it will help kids get adopted more frequently and it

will also help get kids a better home.

Gay marriage should be legal in the U.S. because it helps prevent youth suicide, it is a

constitutional right under the 14th amendment, and it also helps expand the number of adoptions.

Studies have been done and the outcome has shown that allowing same-sex marriage to happen

prevents suicide because kids and adults see that people like them are being accepted more by

society. Permitting same-sex marriage is also a right given by the constitution so gay couples

should be able to marry whenever they want without being stopped. In conclusion, allowing

same-sex marriage will help orphan kids get adopted and find a better home.