SAME SEX MARRIAGE

ABOUT
A marriage between two people of the same biological sex and gender identity.
Legal recognition of same-sex marriage or the possibility to perform a same-sex
marriage is sometimes referred to as marriage equality or equal marriage,
particularly by supporters.
Arguments For (Pros)
1.

Denying same sex couples the right to marry is a violation of civil rights
because marriage is a legal civil status. It provides homosexual couples with the
same legal rights as heterosexual couples.

2.

It standardizes the rules of inheritance in the event that a deceased spouse

does not leave a will.

3.

It creates the same responsibilities to spouse and children as does

heterosexual marriage.

4.

Marriage benefits (such as joint ownership, medical decision-making

capacity) would be available to all couples.

5.

Homosexuality is an accepted lifestyle nowadays with most evidence proving

biological causation.

6.

Denying these marriages is a form of discrimination.

7.

It commits the community which grants the marriage license to honoring that
relationship.

8.

It doesn't hurt society or anyone in particular.

9.

The only thing that should matter in marriage is love.

10.

The number of child adoptions should increase since gay couples cannot procreate (although some might see an increase in gay adoptions as an argument
against same-sex marriages).

11.

It encourages people to have strong family values and give up high-risk

sexual lifestyles.

12.

The same financial benefits that apply to opposite sex marriages would apply
to same-sex marriages.

13.

More children would find themselves in a family with married parents since
many gay and lesbian couples have children of their own with either gay friends
or through in vitro. Many children look forward to when their parents can be
married.

14.

Contributes to family stability.

15.

Allows for assignment of distinct household roles, such as breadwinner and

caretaker, if desired.

16.

Reduces economic burden of income tax, inheritance tax, real estate transfer
tax, etc.

17.

Creates a new family, which takes precedence over both partners' prior
families and thereby prevents them from remaining as "children" well into
adulthood.

18.

Provides security of knowing that spouses will be acknowledged and treated

as one family unit in times of crisis and that their relationship will not need to be
proven or explained to others.

19.

It has no effect whatsoever on the institution of marriage since marriage is a

civil legal institution.

20.

It strengthens family values by including and welcoming same sex spouses

and their children into the community. This has been indicated to lead to less
bullying of homosexuals and their children.

21.

There are lower STD rates among married homosexuals than among nonmarried or cohabiting homosexual couples.

22.

Married homosexual couples on average have more children then nonmarried homosexual couples. If homosexuals are married, they are more likely to
be raising children, thus contributing to the future.

23.

As with heterosexual marriage, same-sex marriage tends to "stabilize"

people. Keeping the marriage intact requires forethought, personal responsibility,
personal and financial self-discipline, etc.

24.

The spouse of a sick, injured or disabled person is the "first responder" and
care-giver, and has the legal authority to deal with doctors, hospitals, care
residences, etc. The spouse also becomes eligible for inclusion in the other
spouse's medical insurance. The spouse thus provides services that might
otherwise be the responsibility of the state.

25.

It automatically grants a spouse the right to make medical decisions in the

event that the partner cannot, which saves time and -- potentially -- a life.

26.

The married couple forms an economic unit with joint responsibility for debts.
This not only helps to protect the bank or business that holds the debt, it can also
help the couple to exercise financial responsibility. And if one partner is not
working (or is working as a homemaker and child-raiser) the other person's
income can support the household.

27.

In times of emotional stress, partners support and guide each other through
difficult decisions. Spouses have the legal authority to assume full responsibility if
their partners are disabled or otherwise incapacitated.

28.

Married couples have more resources for raising children, and there is no
ambiguity about parental legal authority nor question of gender based parental
superiority.

29.

It will boost the economy because of the number of people who will commit.

30.

Allowing it will reaffirm the separation between religion and the state.

31.

Married gay couples have higher average incomes than non-married or

cohabiting gay couples.

32.

They can file joint tax returns

33.

Treating people with equality is good for all societies

34.

Marriage makes a stable basis for adopting children

35.

Marriage is a time-honored institution, and gay people deserve the personal

dignity and respect to marry the person they love.

Arguments Against (Cons)

1.

Most religions consider homosexuality a sin.

2.

It would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage.

3.

It would further weaken the traditional family values essential to our society.

4.

Many people believe the gay lifestyle is not something to be encouraged.

5.

Both cannot be biological parents of their own children.

6.

Minor reduction in revenues due to additional tax break to homosexual

couples in marriages.

7.

Many tax breaks for couples were designed with the idea of relieving burden
from a family in mind. However, homosexual couples are less likely to have
children then heterosexual couples.

8.

The possibility of same-sex marriage requires social reconsideration of the

meaning of "marriage". This is an inherently stressful situation for some people.

9.

Standards for marriage in the United States are generally set by individual
states. Currently, opposite-sex marriages in one state are generally honored in all
the other states, and by the Federal government. If some states allow and
recognize same-sex marriages while other states do not, the legal landscape
becomes very confusing. Further, there are now same-sex couples whose
marriages have subsequently been threatened by revocation of the laws which
permitted them through legislative or judicial action.

10.

Many of the legal rights can be bestowed with civil-unions or designated

beneficiaries.

11.

It's a new idea to the rest of the world and gay married couples may
experience opposing opinions (discrimination?).

EFFECTS
number of same-sex couples in the population is too small to produce
significant change in overall patterns of behavior, the issue of gay marriage
has generated so much attention and debate that a mixed process of gay
assimilation to and effect on the social meaning of marriage is a reasonable
expectation.

we may see an increasing uptake by different-sex couples of marriage

equivalent and marriage alternative statuses (e.g., domestic partnerships)
that have grown out of LGBT rights efforts. If present demographic trends
continue, the group of different-sex couples most likely to seek access to
these new statuses will be persons middle-aged or older.

federal recognition of same-sex marriage, which will occur if the Defense of

Marriage Act is invalidated or repealed, could significantly increase the
number of same-sex couples who marry. The end of DOMA is also likely to
further complicate the law of interstate recognition, as more gay couples
have their marriages recognized for federal law purposes, such as tax, but
not under state laws that regulate divorce, custody and property division.
Since 60 per cent of same-sex marriages are performed for out-of-state
residents, the complexity of federal-state conflict regarding recognition of
particular marriages is likely to increase dramatically.

the issue of accidental procreation that has become a theme in court

decisions related to same-sex marriage may migrate to marriage law more
generally. In particular, she suggests that a more stringent set of rules
expanding support obligations in marriages (whether of different- or samesex spouses) in which children are born or adopted would better serve the
purposes advanced by social conservatives who purport to argue on behalf of
childrens welfare.

TEACHING OF CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Catholic Church opposes gay marriage and the social acceptance of
homosexuality and same-sex relationships, but teaches that homosexual persons
deserve respect, justice and pastoral care. The Vatican and Pope John Paul II are
speaking out against the growing number of places that recognize same-sex

marriages.Citing marriage's unique societal role in the procreation and raising of

children, the Vatican said, "The denial of the social and legal status of marriage to
forms of cohabitation that are not and cannot be marital is not opposed to justice;
on the contrary, justice requires it."Calling marriage between a man and a woman
a fundamental part of human reality and the basic unit of society, the pope said,
"No other form of relationship between persons can be considered as an
equivalent to this natural relationship between a man and a woman out of whose
love children are born."
In 1996 the heads of two bishops' committees -- domestic policy and marriage
and family -- issued a joint statement firmly opposing any "attempts to grant the
legal status of marriage to a relationship between persons of the same sex."
Source: http://www.americancatholic.org/News/Homosexuality/