Gay rights has been a debatable topic since the 1960s in the United States. Homosexuality was viewed as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association until December 1973. Federal Defense of Marriage Acts (DOMAs) were passed in 1996 to prevent same-sex couples from gaining privileges that opposite-sex couples receive. DOMAs defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. On July 19, 2011, the bill to repeal DOMA was announced and supported by the Obama Administration. Eventually, states stopped prohibiting gay marriages, leaving thirteen states that banned gay marriages prior to the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states on June 26, 2015. Although laws have changed, the topic of same-sex marriage is still controversial in certain societies in the United States and around the world.
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Since the beginning of time, most marriages have been a legal and religious union between a man and a woman. Due to these practices, society molded beliefs that the main purpose of marriage is to procreate, which is biologically impossible same-sex couples. The discrimination prevalent in society today towards same-sex couples contradicts the words stated by Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence, that all citizens deserve “unalienable rights” of liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, discrimination surrounding same-sex marriages is a significant issue as it contradicts the idea of American freedom. Every citizen has the right to express their wants and needs as human beings. One should not have to hide his or her individuality because it is not a common belief accepted by everyone. Marriage is a social construct and it is vital to recognize that sometimes, social constructs need to be amended as societies continue to evolve with new beliefs, thoughts and
Since the beginning of time, most marriages have been a legal and religious union between a man and a woman. Due to these practices, society molded beliefs that the main purpose of marriage is to procreate, which is biologically impossible same-sex couples. The discrimination prevalent in society today towards same-sex couples contradicts the words stated by Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence, that all citizens deserve “unalienable rights” of liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, discrimination surrounding same-sex marriages is a significant issue as it contradicts the idea of American freedom. Every citizen has the right to express their wants and needs as human beings. One should not have to hide his or her individuality because it is not a common belief accepted by everyone. Marriage is a social construct and it is vital to recognize that sometimes, social constructs need to be amended as societies continue to evolve with new beliefs, thoughts and