Introduction
Same-sex marriage is one of the recent issues that have caused major debates concerning ethical values and morality among various communities. The recent decision by the Texas federal government to lift the ban on same-sex marriages has elicited various concerns over the decision in terms of morality and ethics (Botelho et al., 2014). The society has varied views over same-sex marriages where some people are against the act while others are for the act. One of the reasons as to why many people in the community believe that same-sex marriage is not right is mainly due to discrimination. However, communities do not have valid reasons as to why same-sex marriages should be illegalized. The decision made by various people to illegalize same-sex marriages is based on an individual’s biased reasoning.
Same-sex marriage is correct in the sense that it does not hurt other human beings since people enter into the marriage out of love and companionship for each other. According to Mill, an act is morally right if it maximizes happiness and reduces pain among individuals (Rosenberg, 2008). Thus, the act is ethical since it increases happiness on the couple engaging into the marriage and at the same time reduces pain and suffering between the members entering into the marriage. Hence people should engage into activities that make them happy and do not interfere with the happiness of other people. Additionally, the act is ethical and moral if it promotes the fundamental rights of human beings. Thus, the marriage is appropriate since it promotes the freedom right of the couple entering into marriage and at the same time does not violate the rights of other people. Same-sex marriages also promote caring ethics since the members of the marriage care about each other express love to one another (FitzGibbon, 2005). Caring ethics is essential in every society since it encourages healthy social relationships. In addition, same-sex marriage is ethical since it demonstrates the virtue of caring. For instance, the adoption of orphaned children by a couple promotes the virtue of caring for other people. An action is considered ethical if it does not cause harm to others. Thus, the marriage is ethical since it does not inflict harm to others and to oneself (Altman, 2011). Aristotle describes happiness, as the primary goal of living, and every individual strives to achieve happiness in every way. Therefore, the marriage is ethical since it promotes the virtue of happiness among the couples entering into a relationship.
However, various opponents have raised serious concerns over the legalization of same-sex marriages. The main argument among the opponents is that the marriage is unethical since it undermines the fundamental family unit whose purpose is to bear and bring-up children in a healthy manner. Same-sex couples cannot procreate the marriage hence contradicts the traditional social institution of marriage whose primary goal is to procreate. Additionally, the marriage violates the sexual rights of the couple engaging into the marriage. Thus, an act that violates the rights of other people is considered unethical. In addition, Kant describes an action as ethical if it follows the universal laws or commands (Kenny, 2008). Therefore, the act is unethical since if does not follow the universal commands or the accepted rules. The marriage also undermines the religious beliefs of people; according to religion marriage is a re-union between a woman and a man. Thus, religious beliefs are built on morals and values that consider the act unethical.
Therefore, the marriage should be legalized since it promotes the virtue of caring and love. The marriage also increases happiness among the couple that is the primary goal to living. The marriage also promotes the fundamental freedom rights among the marriage couples and does not violate the freedom right of other people. However, the marriage goes against the universal laws of marriage that the primary goal of any marriage should be to procreate. In addition, the action violates the sexual rights of the couple. Deontological ethics considers an action as morally right if it adheres to the universal commands or rules (Hooker, 2012). Thus, same-sex marriage is unethical since it contradicts the normal rules. However, according to utilitarianism the marriage is ethical since it ensures maximum benefits of the individuals involved in the marriage.
References
Altman, M. C. (2011). Kant and Applied Ethics: The Uses and Limits of Kant's Practical Philosophy. Chichester: Wiley.
Botelho , G., & Mears, B. (2014, February 27). Texas ban on same-sex marriage struck down - CNN.com. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/26/politics/texas-same-sex/
FitzGibbon, S. T. (2005). The Formless City of Plato's Republic: How the Legal and Social Promotion of Divorce and Same-Sex Marriage Contravenes the Principles and Undermines the Projects of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Issues in Legal Scholarship. doi:10.2202/1539-8323.1059
Hooker, B. (2012). Developing deontology: New essays in ethical theory. Malden, MA: Wiley.
Kenny, A. (2008). Philosophy in the modern world. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Rosenberg, A. (2008). Philosophy of social science. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
