Why should same-sex marriage be legalized?

Answer 1

Increased AcceptanceBy formally legalizing same-sex marriage, homosexuality as a whole becomes more acceptable to society. This leads to decreased rates of violent crime against homosexuals, and overall increased productivity of all citizens regardless of sexual orientation. Fairness and Equality

The government has no legitimate interest in denying marriage licenses to its citizens based upon sexual orientation. There is no difference between a guy and girl being in love and having a successful relationship versus 2 women or 2 men. Legalizing same-sex marriage will end discrimination against gays and lesbians, and ensure their equal rights under the law. Someone should always be allowed to marry the one they love and not have anyone say NO, that's not right! This is a form of prejudice.

Legal Reasons

Legalizing same-sex marriage provides numerous implicit benefits such as hospital visitation rights, automatic inheritance rights, ability to receive insurance benefits.

Societal Benefits

Allowing same-sex marriage provides numerous benefits to society as a whole. Comparing single vs married homosexual people, people in same-sex marriages live longer, make more money, are healthier, have less disease, and are overall happier. Children of married same-sex couples vs single couples are overall more successful in all these terms as well.
Opinion

In the United States marriage is a legal arrangement. Religious clergy along with an array of other major and minor officials are permitted to perform the marriage ceremony if the couple has obtained a civil marriage license. In some states such as California, any person can obtain a one-day permit to perform a marriage ceremony, for example, the father of the bride. Simply by being legally married, two people acquire hundreds of legal rights.

• Heterosexual Hollywood personalities who get married and divorced every few months and openly start new relationships while still married get those legal rights.
• Heterosexual couples with "open marriages" in which marital fidelity is not required get all those legal rights.
• Heterosexual couples who marry simply for the sake of convenience get those legal rights.
• Heterosexual couples who have no intentions of having children have all those legal rights.
• Elderly heterosexual couples, who come from an era when unmarried people did not live together and so marry for economic reasons get all those legal rights.
• Religious heterosexual couples who do not intend to have children but who cannot "live in sin" due to religious restrictions get all those legal rights.

Opinion

There are many same sex couples who are in committed long term relationships yet they do not have any protection under the law in most states and do not have any protection or benefits under Federal Laws. They should not be restricted from acquiring all the legal rights and benefits that are automatically bestowed on heterosexual couples.

Opinion

On grounds of utter realism without getting into technicalities, if two consenting adults care about each other, love each other and want to celebrate that bond by declaring their togetherness under a legal system, thus "officially" bringing them together for as long as they see fit, then it should be good enough reason to allow them marriage.

People very often get married for far less. Homosexuality is frowned upon widely to say the very least. So, if these individuals can dare to defy norms and express themselves, then it is the duty of the state to ensure that their right to expression is upheld, which is only another form of their right to freedom.

Opinion

Many people support the legalization of gay marriage for several reasons:

1. Equality under the law is a basic right guaranteed in the United States. It is a basic truth that defines us as Americans. Throughout our history, we have evolved from being extremely puritanical and unfair to being more and more liberal and justice-loving. We first abolished slavery, then gave women the right to vote, ended segregation, and have recently worked for fair treatment of women and minorities in the workplace. The next logical step in our march toward greater freedom and equality in our country is to grant equal rights to homosexuals. For people who are led by their morals and not their prejudices, it is the right thing to do.

2. Gay marriage will allow gay couples to more easily transfer parental rights in the event of the death of one of the parents. Imagine you are a gay couple and you either have a child through artificial insemination (lesbians) or adopt (gay or lesbians). Both of you have raised this child for years and are it's parents, but upon the accidental death of one parent, the state or the biological parents have the right to custody.

3. Marriage is a financial entity under the law that has nothing to do with religion. The law allows tax breaks to married couples as well as joint-ownership of property. Likewise, in medical situations, a gay couple that is not married may not have the right to visit their hospitalized partner or make medical decisions on their behalf (some states have changed their laws to fix this last situation).

4. Finally, some supporters believe that acceptance of gay marriage is a step in curing our culture of a startling amount of ugliness and hatred shown to homosexuals. They believe that after some generations of acceptance of homosexuals, people will look back at the history of this and have the same feelings of disappointment and disapproval that we now have for those people that attempted to bar black children from entering white schools or who used intimidation and violence to harass black people. Advancement of our culture begins with brave legislation.

Answer 2

It should not be legal unless a serious disorder or sickness where there at the body of the person .

Answer 3

Same-sex marriage should be and is legal in all US states and territories because the United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.