Legalizing Gay Marriage in the United States

Recently, people have argued with respect to the definition of marriage. To get married is a very important event for almost everyone. Many people believe that getting married to the one whom he or she loves is natural. However, what would you think if you could not marry him or her because it was socially unacceptable? Many societies frown upon Gay Marriage for several reasons. It is a reality that has been drug on for years and will continue to drag on until people can overcome their virtue ethics and look the other way.

It is believed that in Ancient Greece and Rome same sex unions were socially recognized. This continued until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. At this time in history a law was established called the "Theodosian Code", this was issued in 342 A.D. by the Christian Emperors Constantius II and Contans. This law specifically outlawed marriage between men and was stated as follows:

"When a man marries and is about to offer himself to men in womanly fashion [quum vir nubit in feminam viris porrecturam], what does he wish, when sex has lost all its significance; when the crime is one which it is not profitable to know; when Venus is changed to another form; when love is sought and not found? We order the statutes to arise, the laws to be armed with an avenging sword, that those infamous persons who are now, or who hereafter may be, guilty may be subjected to exquisite punishment. (Theodosian Code 9.7.3)"

In the 19th Century United States the relationship of two women known as the Boston Marriage was okay. They figured at the time that no sexual act took place. In 1969, the first Gay Marriage was performed by Rev. Troy Perry; however, this union was not legally recognized in the United States. In the 1990's the term "Commitment Ceremony" was an alternative to a Gay Marriage. Over the past decade we have seen the fight for Gay Marriages to be recognized as a legal marriage in some states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire legislation passed legalizing Gay Marriages.

In the United States, there is social unrest regarding the government's denial of the right to marry for homosexuals. Plenty of conservatives are completely against gay marriage; and many liberals are fighting for equal treatment. Christian politicians are using religious arguments to establish that homosexuality is an abomination. While this may be their belief system, this country was founded on religious freedom, where the people are allowed to worship how they see fit. A ground rule, set up from the beginning, states that separation needs to be made between religion and government, so the two shall never meld to become a theocracy. With the issue of gay marriage, lines get blurred and religion rears its head to influence a government's decision of who shall be married and who will be refused.

Just recently in the last several years states have started recognizing Gay Marriage unfortunately there has been an increase in the bad publicity that goes along with it. 36 states have passed legislation banning gay marriages, yet the state of Vermont passed a law that allows homosexual couples the right to participate in civil unions. Some other states are also debating whether or not to allow these couples to marry.

The dispute has left the United States homosexual community in an awkward position. There are some people who think that gay people have no rights and

should never be allowed to marry. Other people believe that gay people are just like

anyone else and should enjoy the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals do. I think that the United States should allow these couples to marry just like any other couple.

Many people feel that same sex marriages are not natural, and go against religious beliefs. Some people may be homophobic and feel that gays and lesbians do not deserve to be united legally on paper, or under the blessings of God. Homosexuals want to marry for the same reason that heterosexuals have and there should be no reason why they are not allowed to.

The people that are against gay marriage believe in protecting traditional marriage between a man and a woman. They argue that homosexuality is not natural, and therefore it shouldn't be accepted in our society. They say that a child can be raised in an environment with a mother and a father, and that having gay parents will result in their child becoming gay. Many religions, like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, deny homosexuality, and since marriage is a religious ceremony, many believe that it would be wrong to legalize homosexual marriage because it goes against its principles. People argue that marriage is mainly for reproduction, and those reasons are not fulfilled within a gay marriage.

Marriage is much more than merely a commitment to love one another. Aside from social and religious conventions, marriage involves legally imposed financial responsibility and legally authorized financial