Same sex marriage has been a contentious issue in the world today. There have been differing opinions on whether same sex marriages should be legal or not illegal. A case in point being during the last presidential campaign where the incumbent president revealed that he supported gay marriage. Since then, there have been contrasting opinions amongst politicians and citizens on this issue. Currently, only 18 states in the USA have legalized same sex marriage. Psychology enables one to study the opinions and behaviour of different people on gay marriages. The beliefs of different people on same sex marriage in the world today can be analysed using psychological concepts to establish a link between the two. To explore the subject of same sex marriages, this paper analyses an article by Jack Healy titled “Colorado Approves Same-Sex Unions”
The article published in the New York Times recently is about the legalization of the same sex marriage in the USA state of Colorado. The state had until recently outlawed gay marriage after residents voted against it in 2006. The state becomes the 18th to legalize same sex marriages. The article also mentions that the legalization comes two days prior to the Supreme Court’s hearing of a couple of major cases related to marriage equality. The gay couples in the western state expressed their satisfaction and happiness after the legalization. They had been advocating and lobbying for same sex marriage to be legalized in the state for many years.
Gays and lesbians in Colorado are planning to hold an expo in April where they will celebrate and prepare to get a civil union licences on the 1st of May- the day the law comes into force. However, the law does not allow gays and lesbians full marriage equality. There is uncertainty whether the state would grant them equality. However, to amend the law to fully legalize same sex marriage would need the approval of voters. This is likely to be a big hurdle because there are many conservative groups in Colorado. Same sex marriage advocates hope that the quickly changing opinions across the country will help them convince people to change their stance on gay marriage. They cite prominent politician’s change of opinions on the subject. For instance, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Senator Rob Portman have all changed opinion to support same sex marriage.
There are several ways that this article relates to psychology. Human behaviour and opinion is said to be under constant evolution. From this article, it is clear that there is a relation between the article and psychology. The article demonstrates how people’s opinions have evolved over time to support same sex marriages. Just in 2006, there were very few states that allowed gay marriage. Colorado’s citizens voted overwhelmingly against gay marriage. In 2008, no politician supported same sex marriages. Within a period of 5 years, over 18 states have allowed same sex marriages. Furthermore, prominent politicians such as President Barack Obama and Senator Rob Portman have declared that they support gay marriage. These changes in opinion in the article can be used to demonstrate the relationship with psychology.
The article also relates to psychology through the different stages involved before the legalization of the same sex marriage in Colorado. The advocates of the same sex marriage claim that they had advocated for the recognition of same sex marriages for a long time. This relates to psychology in that people’s behaviour or opinion always changes when they are convinced by others. Gay activists had been involved in intense lobbying which convinced the state to pass the law. Same sex marriage is not yet fully legal in Colorado. However, the activists hope that the continuous evolution of opinion will convince the conservative natives of Colorado to vote for same sex marriage in future.
The article mention’s Senator Rob Portman’s case where he supported same sex marriage when he realized that his son was gay. In psychology, people’s experiences can have an impact on their beliefs and opinions. The Ohio senator, a Republican, was known for his stance against same sex marriage. However, when he realized that someone close to him- his son- was gay, he changed his stance. This demonstrates the article’s relationship with psychology. It shows that people are against same sex marriage because they have not experienced what the gay people feel when they are segregated legally.
The public must know that psychology forms a big part of our day to day lives. They should realize that same sex marriage occurs between two consenting individuals. The public should not judge people who advocate for same sex marriage because that is what gay people believe is good. The public and leaders should approach the issue of same sex marriage with independent opinions. The public opinion should not be affected by conservative values. They should view the issue of gay marriage from the present day’s perspective. It is also to listen to other people’s opinions, arguments and experiences before taking a stand on gay marriage. Psychology is all about understanding other people’s opinion, behaviour.
Therefore, psychology has major role in the analysis of the issue of same sex marriage today. There is need for people to approach the topic with unbiased opinions. They must understand why gay people advocate for same sex marriage. This can only be achieved through understanding the experiences of gay people, their opinions and reasons for advocating for the legalization of gay marriage.
Works Cited
Breckler, Steven James and James M Olson. Social Psychology Alive. London: Cengage Learning, 2006. Book.
Cantor, Donald. Same-Sex Marriage: The Legal and Psychological Evolution in America. New York: Wesleyan University Press, 2006. Book.
Clarke, Victoria and Elizabeth Peel. Out in Psychology: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Perspectives. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. Book.
Healy, Jack. Colorado Approves Same-Sex Unions. 21 March 2013. Article. 24 March 2013.
Patterson, Ph.D., Charlotte J and Anthony R D'Augelli, Ph.D. Handbook of Psychology and Sexual Orientation. illustrated. London: Oxford University Press, 2012. Book.
Rimmerman, Craig A and Clyde Wilcox. The Politics of Same-Sex Marriage. Illionis: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Book.
