Essay on Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage - 1565 Words

Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage Same-sex marriage is a huge controversy between Americans across the Country. In thirty-three states marriage is defined as a â€Å"union between a man and a woman†. For seventeen states in the U.S. this definition has been changed because every citizen should be treated equally according to the constitution and this also violates the Equal Protection Clause. It became possible for people of the same-sex to marry when it was stated to be unconstitutional. Denying marriage is denying a citizen their civil rights. People of the same-sex are not receiving the same benefits as a person who has married someone of the opposite sex will receive. It is also an issue between different states. The state law and the federal†¦show more content†¦The United States constitution creates all men equally, therefore if a person wants to marry someone of the same sex, and they are not allowed to do so because it is against the state law that they live in it is causing inequality to hum ans because someone of the opposite sex is allowed to get married without a question or doubt in all fifty states. In The United States Vs Windsor case, Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer were together for 40 years. Spyer died in 2009 and so Windsor was forced to pay $363,053 in federal taxes on Spyers estate. The argument was that DOMA did not allow Windsor to be Spyers spouse for federal reasons. DOMA was ruled as unconstitutional because it violated the Equal Protection Clause. They are not given their marriage benefits and therefore the partner who lost her partner does not receive anything. When Spyer passed away, the federal government did not recognize Spyer and Windsor’s marriage so they taxed Windsor’s inheritance from Spyer as they were strangers. The federal tax law indicates that if a spouse dies they can leave their assets to their spouse without incurring estate taxes. Under the law of DOMA the federal government does not treat same-sex marriages the same as they would other married couples. Now that some states have banned the law against same-sex marriages not being able to marry it has become a controversy between states whether a person mayShow MoreRelatedRecognizing Same-Sex Marriage Legally in the United States1633 Words   |  7 Pagesrights is a very popular issue in American politics that asks ask the question â€Å"Should same sex marriage be recognized legally.† Some Americans support gay rights and believe all homosexuals deserve the right of protection from discrimination. They do not believe marriage would devalued but would allow homosexuals to have same benefits and security as heterosexual couples. Some of the rights same-sex marriages would be entitled to include: eligibility of health insurance through each other’s employersRead MoreA Refutation of an Argument by William J Bennett on Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage1749 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿REFUTATION OF ARGUMENT AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE In a remarkable article that appeared in the Washington Post, William J. Bennett argued that recognizing same-sex marriage would be detrimental to the concept of marriage and to the nation. The only thing more remarkable than the logical fallacies relied upon in the article was the fact that the author was the former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration and Director of the OfficeRead MoreThe Issue Of Same Sex Marriage1376 Words   |  6 Pagesspecifically marriage equality. Public opinion in the U.S. shows the majority support for the legal recognition of same-sex marriages. This issue is more likely to be supported by women and people under 50. My thesis is that marriage equality a civil right, rights we are born with as a citizen of the U.S. which the government cannot interfere with or suppress. (Lecture Notes 8/27). Over the past decade, marriage equality has become an even larger and more controversial i ssue. The issue of same-sex marriageRead MoreCommon Ground : Same Sex Marriage956 Words   |  4 PagesCommon 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, weRead MoreEssay about Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage1121 Words   |  5 PagesThe issue of legalizing same-sex marriage is one of great controversy. 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. People opposing gay marriage argue that a couple of the same sex getting married would redefine the word marriage, the purpose of marrying is to procreate, and they should settle for Civil Unions insteadRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesWhat are others doing? Canada is not the first country in the world to address whether and how to legally recognize same-sex unions. Indeed, Canada is coming to the debate later than many countries. Several countries have debated this issue for many years and have come up with a variety of approaches, ranging from same-sex marriage in the Netherlands to the legal recognition of domestic partners, registered partnerships and civil unions in Scandinavia, parts of Europe and parts of the United StatesRead MoreThe Separation Of Church And State1026 Words   |  5 PagesWhen we hear the word politics we immediately think republicans or democrats, left or right. But what people don’t think about is religion. Hardly anybody uses those terms in the same sentence. But religion and politics are one. Even though religion does not control the government it plays a major role in creation of laws and regulations for the citizens of this â€Å"free country†. While the constitution expresses the separation of church and state, we can examine the laws to prove no such separationRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1132 Words   |  5 Pagesindividuals in same-sex relationships have been the thing of ridicule and discrimination. However, this started to change in December 2000, when the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage (Gay Marriage Around the World, 2015). Not just accepting same-sex couples, but actually allowing them to marry. It would be almost 15 years later and behind 16 other countries that the United States legalized same-sex marriage. On June 26, 2015 the Supreme Court declared that same-sex couplesRead MoreThe Controversy Of Legalizing Gay Marriage834 Words   |  4 Pagesdid not raise the drinking age. By pressuring, or as some say punishing, the federal government was able to use their authority to force Louisiana to coincide with the rest of the nation. More recently states are slowly but surely legalizing Gay Marriage. This is al so an example of how slowly individual states are acknowledging the authority the federal government holds. In northern Belgium, citizens demanded for the government to make changes regarding the countries waste disposal practices. TheRead MoreEssay on Marriage Equailty for the LGBT Community1554 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity, as it pertains to human rights, equality, and particularly, marriage equality. Each individual has their own perception on marriage equality, whether it is based on moral basis, or on a humanistic (humane) basis, which is the belief of not denying anyone the right to be who they are, and therefore love who they love. However, as a society, we must examine the facts, as well as ourselves, as we address the debate for marriage equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community