My Report on Gay Marriage

This is something I wrote for my English class, we had to write a persuasive essay on something we felt strongly about. I chose Gay Marriage. Please, take the time to read it. Whether you agree or disagree, please keep the comments civil and appropriate, thanks. :)

The Right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Over twenty-five percent of Americans are homosexual. These Americans, the same as you and I, are being withheld from the rights of legal marriage. Can you imagine not being able to see your partner if they were hurt and in the hospital? Marriage as a whole has already radically evolved. The boundary line between the genders has ceased to exist. No longer is man the bread winner and woman the caretaker. Now that these roles no longer exist, it is becoming even more possible to imagine a household and marriage with two men or two women.
Same sex marriage is not revolutionary; it is just the next step in an ever evolving society. Stephanie Coontz, the author of the article, “Gay Marriage isn’t Revolutionary, it’s Just Next” agrees with me. In her article, Coontz states, “Adopting love as the basis for marriage meant other changes, too, especially greater acceptance of the of the idea that men and women have a fundamental right to marry, even to people of whom their parents- and society- disapproved.” This quote is stating that all people, man and woman alike, have the right to marry whomever they want. Including those of the same sex if they so choose. Society no longer has the excuse that men must financially take care of the family and the woman must emotionally take care of the family. Gender has no relevance in the state of marriage any longer. Love is the only reason to get married for the majority of people. Marriage is a legally binding union between two people that love each other, regardless of gender.
There is a large group of those who do not understand the reasoning of same sex marriage. They look at it from a religious point of view, which is extremely close minded. Same sex marriage does not have to take place in a religious ceremony. All marriage is on paper, is a document stating that you share your life and welfare with another person. One individual that does not understand same sex marriage is the author of the article, “On Gay Marriage, Empathy is a Two Way Street” Rod Dreher. Dreher explains, “Gay marriage represents a cultural revolution, a fundamental revolution of what marriage means.” He believes that allowing same sex marriage will change marriage as we know it. However, contrary to his beliefs, marriage has already radically changed with the blurring of gender roles. Our society has grown from the beliefs that man has a specific job and women another. We have come to realize that it is okay to do things that are not the “norm” for our gender. We are no longer in the stone age. It is time for our society to accept diversity. This now allows us to have two men or two women within the same household, able to decide which role they each see fit.
Gay marriage is not going to change anything other than allowing two people of the same gender to hold a legal union. Coontz states, “If gay marriage is legally recognized, it will have little impact on the institution of marriage.” I believe that Coontz is correct, gay marriage will only impact homosexuals. It has little to do with the straight community. The only reason most people do not want to allow it, is their own prejudices against gay rights. Homosexuals are regular people trying to live their lives and marry the one they love just like the rest of us. It is no longer about the rights of gays, it is about the rights of individual American Citizens. They are not a different species, or a different type of people, they are human. They deserve their rights. It is not morally sound to withhold the legal and emotional benefits of marriage from gays just because you do not like it.
Gay individuals are, in fact, born that way. This is contrary to most people against gay marriage and gay rights in general. They believe that it is a life style, chosen by gays or just a way to get attention. However, why, knowing that they would be ridiculed for the rest of their lives, would someone choose to be gay? In fact, studies have shown that over a quarter of gay students have been made fun of for what they are, and an estimated thirty to forty percent have attempted suicide do to the ridicule. No one can say attention in a negative light is worth the cost of their mental health and life. I have a cousin who is gay, and he still has not came out to his parents, in fear of being judged at the age of twenty-three. It hurts me to know that my family member cannot marry the one that he loves. Being gay shouldn’t take away your rights as an American citizen.
It is our duty in America to accept diversity. That is what this country was built on, the diversity of all our different cultures put into a melting pot. I believe that by accepting gay rights, our society and culture as a whole will grow much stronger. America has always been a place of acceptance, that immigrants escape to. We need to hold strong to that acceptance with our own citizens.
All people, straight or gay, have the right to marry the one that they love. Though some people believe gay marriage will change all that is sacred about marriage, the truth is that it will only add to it. By accepting the fact that marriage is based on love, we accept that those we love may not always be of the opposite sex. The injustice of not allowing gay marriage cannot go on any longer. After all, dont we all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?