Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex marriage is not a left versus right issue, although it’s obvious that some would like to make it as such. Rather, when the onion is peeled, what is found at the core of the issue is the question of equality.
It may very well be true that the majority of Americans oppose same-sex marriage. However, a much larger majority of Americans oppose discrimination. As the Massachusetts Supreme Court recently ruled, civil unions are not the constitutional equivalent of civil marriage. The court found that ordering a separate but equal civil union status would have the effect of maintaining and fostering a stigma of exclusion.
There are those that raise the question of why a civil union needs equal protection if they actually were to have the same healthcare, survivorship, divorce rights, and such? For example, let’s say that two individuals of the same-sex are joined in a civil union rather than a marriage. One of these individuals applies for a loan, a job, or some place where such applications are necessary and in-depth information is required. If such an individual were to state that he or she is married, then it could be argued that a lie was commited on the application. If one states that they are joined in a civil union, then it gives those in a position of power to discriminate on the basis of one’s sexual preference. Classifying all married couples as married regardless of sexual orientation prevents such possible discriminatory and prejudicial scenarios from occuring.
There are those that claim that the social institution of marriage and all its sanctity must be protected from same-sex marriage. With all of the recent same-sex couples tying the knot, how has any heterosexual marriage been damaged? If a heterosexual marriage can actually be damaged by a same-sex marriage, and it’s sanctity hurt by a same-sex couple using the M-word, then I would suggest that the damaged heterosexual marriage is not worth the paper that it is printed on.
As I stated above, this issue is really about equality. Same-sex couples aren’t asking for anything extra, nor do they desire special treatment; they just want fairness with the same considerations that heterosexual couples now enjoy. As a heterosexual male, same-sex marriage in of itself serves me no purpose. But in the broader scope of things, I believe that none of us are truely free unless all of us are considered equal under the law. In the end, the question is not why a same-sex union needs to be called a marriage, but rather why not?