same sex marrigaes i do or dont

Same-Sex Marriages:"I Do or Don't?" There are issues brewing
all the time that catch somebody's eye at one time or another. Issues
such as abortion, single-parent families, the homeless, AIDS, politics,
euthanasia, and same- sex marriages. Same-sex marriages caught my
eye as an issue of 1996 which people should be aware of. Not
necessarily because of gay and lesbian rights, but because they are
people too and why should they be permitted on how far they are able to
take their relationships because of state and federal laws? The
Hawaiian Supreme Court in 1993 ruled the prohibiting of same sex
marriages because it is sexual discrimination and is a violation of the
state constitution which also contains an equal rights amendment. This
ruling was significant for gays and lesbians in the United States because
it opened the eyes of close minded people in our country which is
supposed to provide "liberty and justice for all". As written by Sullivan,
gays and lesbians " what we seek is not some special place in America
but merely to be a full and equal part of America or live as second class
citizens" (26). In some states, they are changing their way of thinking, as
in Minnesota. "A Minnesota appeals court granted guardianship of a
woman left quadriplegic in a car accident to her lesbian lover" (Quindlen,
580). In New York, a judge approved the adoption of a six-year old boy
by his biological mother's lesbian partner. These three states are
pointing in a positive direction and hopefully they will influence other
states to do the same and accept same-sex relationships. Why is
marriage so central in gay and lesbian hopes? Like every human on this
earth, they meet a person they truly love, they "want to commit to that
person in front of our family and country for the rest of our lives" (Sullivan,
26). Marriage is a beautiful commitment shared by two people who love
each other, it should not be limited to heterosexual nor homosexuals.
Homosexuality is not a choice, and where there is no choice, there can be
no moral issue. Gay marriages also reflect family life as well. As a
medical student at Tufts says, "It seems hypocritical to be against gay

marriages and at the same time in favor of family values" (Tresniowski,
10). Having a family is an important part of a marriage, " straight and
gay alike have other things on their minds today. Family is one, and the
linchpin of family has commonly been a loving commitment between two
loving adults" (Quindlen, 581). There are disadvantages to same-sex
couples which heterosexual couples do not have to worry about, like; "No
joint tax returns. No health insurance coverage No survivor's benefits
from Social Security" (Quindlen, 581). These are concerns of same-sex
couples and should also be looked at by the government. Marriage
between people of the same sex should not be a concern of anyone but
the couple and their friends, as children say, "it's none of your bees-wax."
Andrew Sullivan, a writer, is a gay man and writes from the aspect of a
gay man who wants the ability for gays and lesbians to marry. He
answers questions and general curiosities openly in his article. One of
his main points is that "no one is seeking to take away anybody's right to
marry, and no one is seeking to force any church to change any doctrine
in any way We are only asking that when the government gives out civil
marriage licenses, those of us are gay should be treated like anybody
else" (26). The revolution of marriage started back when women were
married as men's property, to marriages of the same race, and now we
are at a time when people of the same sex want to be married. Change
is needed for this next chain in the revolution. No one has " any more
of a choice to be gay than to be black or white or male or female"
(Sullivan, 26). In the year 1996, we like to think that everything is
"politically correct." By tackling some issues and taking a close look at
them, we see that our world is not a politically correct world, at least I do
not believe so. Anna Quindlen concludes her essay very optimistic, "only
twenty-five years ago and it was a crime for a black woman to marry a
white man. Perhaps twenty-five years from now we will find it just as
incredible that two people of the same sex were not entitled to legally

commit themselves to each other" (582). Everyone has a right to full
happiness no matter what your color, race, or sexual preference may be.
Let our country try to provide "liberty and justice for all." Works
Cited1. Quinslen, Anna. "Evan's Two Moms." Conversations. Jack
Selzer. Pennsylvania: Allyn and Bacon, 1997. 580-582.2. Sullivan,
Andrew. "Let Gays Marry." Newsweek 3 June 1996, V127, p26.3.
Trensniowski, Alex. "Same-Sex Marriage: For Better or Worse?" Time 9
September 1996, V148, p10.