Introduction
Same-sex marriages refer to a marital union between homosexual individuals. This topic is of significant contention in society due to diverse opinions concerning the same. In the US, the legalization of same-sex marriages was passed by the US Supreme Court in 2015. However, despite having the issue as law in all the US States, the issue faces criticism from different groups (Kraśnicka, 2019). For example, Christian-centric organizations have termed same-sex marriages as high contributors to social immorality in the US and other parts of the world. According to the Supreme Court ruling concerning same-sex marriages, it is a fundamental right of human beings on who to marry. After a series of campaigns that supported marriages without distinction to sexual orientation. The US Supreme Court allowed same-sex marriages due to the 60% of US nationals who supported the matter (Kużelewska, 2019). However, same-sex marriages should not have been legalized because it is one way of advocating for immorality and disrespect to human dignity from a creation point of view.
The Debate on Whether to Legalize Same-Sex Marriages
Marriage between gays and lesbians has been opposed by many people in the US and the entire world. One of the basic arguments is that when these groups marry, they cannot get their biological children unless they adopt. Many civil minds ask about the relevance of getting in marriage when they cannot sire human beings (Puolimatka, 2017). Traditionally, the marriage institution was defined as between a male and female. The civil unions and local collaboration parties were responsible for providing protection and benefits for the gay partners, but without altering the definition of marriage. However, the majority of groups feel that denying people an option to marry is discrimination, which should be avoided in society. The argument for the proponents is that all human beings are required to have the same privileges in all circle’s life, including marriage (Kużelewska, 2019). Thus, the topic of whether or not same-sex marriages has been kind of a bug in the United States and the world at large.
The supporters of same-sex marriages have financial indications on why gays and lesbians should be allowed to intermarry. Gay marriages have brought a financial boost to the federal, state and local authorities, hence boosting the economy. In 2004, the Congressional Budget Office approximated that federally-legalized marriages would cut the budget deficit by more than $400 annually (Britannica, 2021). New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg said that gay marriages had contributed around $250 million to the economy of NYC legalization the previous year (Britannica, 2021). The revenue from marriage is generated from marriage certificates and licenses, including high-income taxes when people unite. However, the opponents of this issue say that the US has many avenues for getting money and should not use matter as a financial boost since the citizens pay taxes. The government has a raft of agendas to increase the national revenue. The purpose of marriage is procreation, and marriage should guarantee one a shift from producing and raising children to adult gratification (Frame, 2020). Therefore, whether the legalization of same-sex marriage was right or not depends on an individual’s point of view.
Other people consider same-sex marriages as a secular legal institution. According to proponents of this issue, religious opinions should define who to marry (Kraśnicka, 2019). If a person is affiliated with the idea that gays and lesbians marriages are immoral, they can refrain from marrying under the same perspective and join heterosexual marriages. The Christians, Muslims, Hindus and other religions should not dictate the way society can perceive marriage. In this case, the supporters of same-sex marriage argue that marriage choice should be accompanied by the independence of mind and the liberty to choose (Kużelewska, 2019). The opposers of the matter say that gay marriage has increased the rate of assimilation for gays into mainstream heterosexual norms, which has accelerated homosexuality in the communities. According to M.V. Lee Badgett, a lesbian activist, “Marriage means adopting heterosexual forms of family and giving up distinctively gay family forms and perhaps even gay and lesbian culture” (Britannica, 2021). Therefore, it means the creation of vibrant culture by the gays or lesbians should not bother other people against the institution as one has the rational liberty of choice under reasoned ideologies.
According to the proponents of same-sex marriages, the concept of marriage should not only be based on man and woman. There have been major changes and transformations in life that requires people to adjust to the current societal moves, including the choice of partner, among other factors. According to Nancy F Scott, monogamous households were negligible in the world population and could be found in Western Europe and some parts of North America (Puolimatka, 2017). She believes that even the traditional perspective of marriage did not curl immoral issues since people would cheat to get children outside wedlock. Therefore, as per Cott’s take, allowing gays or lesbians to marry is similar to letting another opposite-sex individual join the same institution.
The opposers of same-sex marriages say that marriage is an oppressive affair that is outmoded and should be weakened instead of expanded. “Gay marriage apes hetero privilege… and increases economic inequality by perpetuating a system which deems married beings more worthy of the basics like health care and economic rights” (Britannica, 2021). The statement was from Lesbians, Gays, bisexuals, and transgender (LGBT) activists who alleged that gay marriages maliciously exclude many cultures, more so the transgenders. Therefore, from the opinions of various groups, allowing same-sex marriages in all 50 States was not right as that legal battle would have been committed to something else.
The US Supreme Court has reasons why the legalization of same-sex marriages was right in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), same-sex marriage is one of the important civil rights that has been in adverse contention at the current time (Frame, 2020). NAACP acknowledged in 2012 that gay marriage is a civil right that is protected by the US Constitution’s determination to equality and liberty in society. Therefore, same-sex marriage should be an internationally recognized human right for all individuals. However, according to Bible, in Leviticus 18:22, people are advised not to lie from man to man or woman to another, as that is an abomination (Frame, 2020). Thus, the issue requires sober decisions and influence from the personal take on marriage.
Conclusion
Same-sex marriages have been a contentious issue in the US and other parts of the world. Many people who support the matter say that it is a right for anyone to marry whoever they feel like and should not be restricted from religious perspectives. The issue supporters also say it has financial gains and gives people equality in life. However, same-sex marriages should not have been legalized in the US as that has advocated immorality and objection to the religious teachings on the union of marriage. Legalizing same-sex marriage is not right since the couples cannot recreate, and majorly, they distort the initial marriage definition through disrespect for human creation and dignity.
References
Britannica. (2021). Should gay marriage be legal? Six pros and cons. Gay Marriage.
Frame, N. (2020). Intragroup differences of the non-religious: Attitudes towards same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption in the United States. Journal of Homosexuality, 68(13), 2285-2300.
Kraśnicka, I. (2019). Mechanisms of direct democracy in the United States. the case of same-sex marriages under the popular vote in California. Białostockie Studia Prawnicze, 24(1), 29-44.
Kużelewska, E. (2019). Same-sex marriage – a happy end story? The effectiveness of referendum on same-sex marriage in Europe. SSRN Electronic Journal, 9(6), 22-27.
Puolimatka, T. (2017). How Wolterstorff’s defence of same-sex marriage violates his theory of justice. Philosophia Christi, 19(2), 363-380.