Gay Marriage Research Paper

Submitted By MOwji1
Words: 425
Pages: 2

Gay Marriage

Gay marriage is one of the leading political topics in the United States today. Whether it is in Massachusetts, California, New Mexico, or on the campaigning road, America has shifted its head to focusing on one question: Do you support gay marriage? Personally, I would say "YES." My stance on this issue is not only a personal position based on my intolerance for any form of bigotry or my numerous amounts of friends who are homosexual, but also I base my opinion on one of the most famous American ideals, that all men are created equal.
In the twentieth century, America has undergone vast changes in family styles. Because of the increase in many gays and lesbians speaking out, we see a new emphasis on the word family. Many gays and lesbians have decided to come out of the closet shaking up an issue that has made a ruckus between Americans. We find that the Defense of Marriage Act states that marriage should be between one man and one woman for federal purposes; but is this fair? The United States was founded on the belief of equality, loyalty, and justice for all (Bellamy F., 1892).
Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages and allows states to do the same. Since 1996, many states have enacted legislation prohibiting same-sex marriages or the recognition of same-sex marriages formed in another jurisdiction. States have traditionally recognized marriages solemnized in other states, even those that go against the marriage laws of that particular state. Under the full faith and credit clause of the U.S.