Same-Sex Marriage: Legalize It

Two people of the same sex who love each other should be allowed to publicly celebrate their commitment and receive the same benefits of marriage as opposite sex couples. The time has come to legalize same-sex marriage in the United States because it is their right as human beings, same-sex marriage could result in higher adoption rates and the legalization of same-sex marriage can result in few mental health problems in the gay community.

Fifty years ago the topic of same-sex marriage was very taboo, which means people thought it was an oddity. The talk of homosexuality was never discussed and was certainly frowned upon in all circles of society. There were no famous people willing to promote the homosexual lifestyle as it was looked upon as abnormal or a mental weakness. Today, gay rights have become a political issue and there are even television shows that promote homosexuals such as the New Normal, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and Queer as Folks. People from all backgrounds increasingly support the right of same-sex couples to share in the celebration and responsibilities that marriage brings.

Some who oppose gay marriage say that it is not their constitutional right to get married. However, this is untrue. Same-sex marriage is protected by the Constitution’s commitments to liberty and equality. The US Supreme Court declared in 1947’s Cleveland Board of Education v. LaFleur that “freedom of personal choice in matters of marriage and family life is one of the liberties protected by the Due Process Clause.” US District Judge Vaughn Walker wrote on August 4, 2010 that Prop.8 in California banning gay marriage was “unconstitutional under both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses.” It’s important to realize that there are different kinds of beliefs and people should not be judged just because they have a different belief than someone else. Marriage equality is a federal constitutional right—not a state issue—and it’s time to start acting...