Common Ground Same Sex Marriage - 956 Words

Common Ground: Same-Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage, a controversial social issue in the U.S. for several decades, is constantly evolving. When viewed historically, great change has happened in a short period of time, in the movement for same-sex marriage, given that until recently, no society in thousands of years has ever allowed it. Futurist John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends, has studied the change in the public’s perspective on gay marriage. Naisbitt asserts: â€Å"In just my lifetime, we have gone from a taboo to even talk about homosexuality, to the sanction by governments of homosexual marriage. Few such large social considerations have ever before been turned over in such a short time† (Naisbitt). A metamorphosis in how the American judicial system perceives same-sex marriage, has developed over the past forty years. In October, 1971, the Supreme Court ruled that: The institution of marriage as a union of man and woman, uniquely involving the procreation and rearing of children within a family, is as old as the book of Genesis.† Just 43 years later, on October 6, 2014, the Supreme Court turned down appeals from states where gay marriage bans have been overturned, bringing the number of states supporting legal same-sex marriage to thirty-five. Only fifteen states remain with bans against same-sex marriage as of the writing of this essay (ProCon.org). In the state of Washington, gay marriage was legalized on December 9, 2012, by popular vote (La Corte).Show MoreRelatedEssay about Should Same-Sex Marriage Be Legalized? 1555 Words   |  7 PagesShould same-sex marriage be legalized? The same-sex marriage issue has ignited worldwide. Joseph Chamie- the previous director- and Barry Mirkin-the previous Population Policy Section Chief- of the UN’s Population Division aim to present up-to-date statistics and information on the same-sex marriage debate in â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage: A New Social Phenomenon.† They mention that same-sex marriage is a â€Å"recent phenomenon† that will possibly stick around for years in many countries because societal, religiousRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Debate785 Words   |  4 Pages The gay marriage debate is complex, to say the least. Bitter, emotional, and controversial are just a few words that can be used to describe it. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same sex marriage; since then twelve states have approved gay marriage (Shapiro). Even though some states have decided to legalize same sex marriage others are standing firm on constitutional amendments that ban it. Deciding whether or not gay couples should be allowed to marry is drawing passionRead MoreMarriage Benefits vs. Civil Union Benefits What is the difference between marriage and civil700 Words   |  3 PagesMarriage Benefits vs. Civil Union Benefits What is the difference between marriage and civil unions? There are many differences, mostly consisting of the benefits that married couples get that couples in civil unions do not receive. Marriage is different for homosexual and heterosexual couples. Even when homosexuals are married they do not receive the same benefits as heterosexual married couples. What if couples in a civil union could have the same benefits as a married couple? When heterosexualRead MoreMarriage Is The Voluntary Union Of One Man And One Woman1662 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Marriage is the voluntary union of one man and one woman†, which has been recognised by law and ceremony essentially in every society for centuries. 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In the case of Judaism, a key Bible passage is the story of Onan (Links to an external site.), who sleeps with his dead brother s wife but, to avoid giving his brother offspring, doesn t ejaculate inside her. Instead, he spilt the seed on the ground. God slew him, which some might view as a sign of disapproval (Links to an external site.).The Catholic catechismRead MoreConscie ntious Objections to Same-Sex Marriage1460 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Topic: Conscientious Objections to Same-Sex Marriage: A Comparative Research Study of Scotland in United Kingdom and State of New York City in United States of America Part A: Methods of Research: The research on conscientious objection to same-sex marriage was carried out using mostly primary sources such as Scotland and State of New York Laws, this include constitution and laws enacted by the New York State Assembly and Scottish Parliament. Also past cases and accompanying judicialRead MorePolicy Advice Memorandum: Equality of Marriage1326 Words   |  5 PagesEquality of Marriage Issue: It is becoming increasingly difficult to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). One of the Republican congresspersons who helped write the act is currently opposing it. In Lehmans words, many Republicans believe its only a matter of time until DOMA is repealed, (cited by Bendery, 2012, p. 2). Therefore, it would be wise for the president to take an affirmative, and firm, stances in favor of legislation that expressly and unequivocally supports marriage equalityRead MoreThe Canada And The Gay Rights Movement1003 Words   |  5 Pagesage of consent for anal sex from 18 and 14 for other sexual activity and it was recognized that a higher age for consent of anal sex was unconstitutional (BC Teachers’ Federation, 2016). Since then there have been many changes to the political and social system in Canada to be able to improve the rights not only individuals whom are part of the LGBTQ community, but also for those whom are in same sex relationships (BC Teachers’ Fe deration, 2016). As of 2005, same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada;