The Struggle with Homosexuality
Mixie Samantha Hernandez Walton
Brett Phelps
ENG 112: Freshman Composition II
May 2, 2014
The Struggle With Homosexuality There have been many issues regarding equal rights throughout the centuries. America has had battles for woman’s rights, African American rights, and equal rights for Latinos and Asians. Throughout time these issues were solved, but the movement going on now is the fight for the equal rights for the same sex unions. This fight started since the early 1970’s and is still going strong. In this essay, I will discuss the different points of views of gay marriage arguing that gay marriage should be legalized throughout the country. Internationally speaking 16 countries have given same-sex couples the freedom to marry. On the other hand two countries have legalized the freedom to marry regionally, such as Mexico. Other countries have administered some sort of protection, whether it is broad or limited. Within the United States however, 17 out of the 50 states have made same sex marriage legal, but most of the other 33 states have the anti-gay constitutional amendment in place. Anti-gay constitutional amendment is also known as the discriminatory Amendment 1, which adds an amendment to a state 's constitution banning all marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership for same-sex couples (Toll).
When it comes to the main factors that gave the same-sex marriage issue a chance to become an issue for national debate. Many scholars in the 1990s identified some of these factors. For instance, Historian George Chauncey was one of those scholars who summarized these factors. The most important three factors, as far as Chauncey is concerned, are: the circumstances of gay life, the changing character of marriage, and the changing place of gay people in American society. Chauncey adds that the decision of legalizing same-sex marriage and taking the process to the next step was because of a few legal strategists and a few state courts (Rimmerman 101).
Brett Phelps
ENG 112: Freshman Composition II
May 2, 2014
The Struggle With Homosexuality There have been many issues regarding equal rights throughout the centuries. America has had battles for woman’s rights, African American rights, and equal rights for Latinos and Asians. Throughout time these issues were solved, but the movement going on now is the fight for the equal rights for the same sex unions. This fight started since the early 1970’s and is still going strong. In this essay, I will discuss the different points of views of gay marriage arguing that gay marriage should be legalized throughout the country. Internationally speaking 16 countries have given same-sex couples the freedom to marry. On the other hand two countries have legalized the freedom to marry regionally, such as Mexico. Other countries have administered some sort of protection, whether it is broad or limited. Within the United States however, 17 out of the 50 states have made same sex marriage legal, but most of the other 33 states have the anti-gay constitutional amendment in place. Anti-gay constitutional amendment is also known as the discriminatory Amendment 1, which adds an amendment to a state 's constitution banning all marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership for same-sex couples (Toll).
When it comes to the main factors that gave the same-sex marriage issue a chance to become an issue for national debate. Many scholars in the 1990s identified some of these factors. For instance, Historian George Chauncey was one of those scholars who summarized these factors. The most important three factors, as far as Chauncey is concerned, are: the circumstances of gay life, the changing character of marriage, and the changing place of gay people in American society. Chauncey adds that the decision of legalizing same-sex marriage and taking the process to the next step was because of a few legal strategists and a few state courts (Rimmerman 101).
Cited: Bullough, Vern L., and Bonnie Bullough. Sin, Sickness & Sanity: A History of Sexual Attitudes. New York: Garland, 1977. Print. McKenna, Neil. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde. New York: Basic, 2005. Print. Rimmerman, Craig A. The Lesbian and Gay Movements: Assimilation or Liberation. Boulder: Westview, 2008. Print. Sadowski, Michael. In a Queer Voice: Journeys of Resilience from Adolescence to Adulthood Stone, Amy L. Gay Rights at the Ballot Box. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2012. Print. Strasser, Mark Philip. Legally Wed: Same-sex Marriage and the Constitution. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1997. Print. "Gay Marriage Timeline." ProCon.org "Freedom To Marry." States. Freedom To Marry, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. . "The Freedom to Marry Internationally." Freedom To Marry Ford, Zack. "New Study Confirms Same-Sex Couples Make Great Parents."ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 10 July 2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. . "Religious Views on Homosexuality: Comparison Chart." Homosexuality Comparison Chart. Religion Facts, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . "Homosexuality." Catholic Answers. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. . Israel, Josh, and Adam Peck. "The 7 Most Anti-Gay U.S. Representatives."ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 26 June 2012. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. .