Gay Marriage: The Key to American Unity and Equality

The issue of civil rights in the United States has undergone several transitions in the course of American history. Women now have the right to vote, the ability to work outside of the home and to work in industries that were once closed to them. Women have taken control of their bodies in the sexual revolution and have gained the option of abortion. African Americans have also gained the right to vote, they are now allowed to sit next to a white person and be treated as equals; black men and women are now given the opportunities for higher education, better paying jobs, and a say in politics. However, women and blacks did not gain these civil rights without struggle. The same is true for gay marriage-it will not happen without struggle.

As with all equal rights movements there are many who doubt that same-sex marriages will be good for the United States. Just as it was believed that giving blacks equal rights to whites or that women with freedom would cause a decline in morals and values, the same is being said of same-sex marriage. The arguments against same sex marriage fail to work as sound reasoning: marriage itself has evolved and is no longer a social necessity; same-sex marriage will have no effect on the desire of others to have children; same-sex marriage will not lead to the legalization of polygamy; and civil unions are not equality, they are a stepping stone to equality.

In the last century, the idea of homosexuality has moved away from being a hidden “illness” to a proud stand of thousands of people. Same-sex marriage is not just a matter of gaining legal perks; it is a matter of happiness, which is listed as one of the inalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence. Gay marriage will not destroy the morals of America, nor will the legalization of marriage between couples of the same gender lead to polygamy.

There are several arguments against allowing same-sex marriage. Some say that marriage is an institution between just one man and one woman. Still more argue that the sole purpose of marriage is to procreate and that since couples of the same gender cannot physically reproduce there is no reason for them to enter the institution of marriage. These arguments are not unfounded, but they are outdated; marriage has changed.

The Evolution of Marriage

In the decades following California allowing no-fault divorces in 1970, divorce has become more predominant, and more widely accepted. Family structures have been shattered and rebuilt. People get divorced and then remarry, creating new families. The stigma of being a divorcee is no longer quite as socially unacceptable as it once was. The pretense or belief that divorce somehow corrupts the individual has faded in the aftermath of so many divorces. It is no longer an effective means of controlling the behavior of adults or limiting the changes in the foundation of marriage.

The break with traditional marriage happened in the 1970s. Women were not the property of their husbands. They gained control over their bodies and through no-fault divorce both women and men could gain their freedom from unhappy or unhealthy marriages. As a result of these changes, marriage had to adapt in order to remain a surviving institution. Andrew Sullivan, author and political commentator wrote: “It was heterosexuals in the 1970s who changed marriage into something more like a partnership between equals, with both partners often working and gender roles less rigid than in the past.” With divorce being easier to obtain, partners had no choice but to work harder to make their marriages last. Therefore the traditional roles and rules no longer applied as strictly as they once had. Marriage has evolved from a medieval control issue to a domestic partnership of two consenting adults.

The evolution of marriage has destroyed the basis for marriage to be strictly a union between a man and a woman. When women stopped being thought of as property and took on the role of equal partner, marriage itself became more complex. Michael Ventura, author and psychotherapist stated: “Until roughly the first third of American 20th century, marriage and an extended blood-family were essential for the individual survival of all but the most adventurous--because, very simply, basic survival took so much work.” Ventura goes on to explain that as technology progresses marriage becomes less necessary as a form of survival. He makes a good point. Where marriage was once based on survival, religious ordinances, family connections, and procreation, it has now become a matter of the heart and personal happiness.

Procreation and Same-Sex Marriage

One of the strongest arguments against same-sex marriage is that of procreation. Some say that same-sex marriage will endanger the desire of heterosexuals to have children. By looking at the facts, it is obvious that the legalization of gay marriage will not harm the current population nor will it minimize the future population of the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the United States population was 299,398,484-nearly 300 million people-in 2006. According to the census the population is up by 17,976,578-that's a six percent increase since 2000. Are the American people really worried that the human race will die out because a few less people have children? It hardly seems accurate to claim that this will happen when the numbers so obviously say otherwise.