Introduction
Marriage between the members of the same sex is called gay or same-sex marriage. Lately the issue of legalizing gay marriage has evoked a lot of controversy. In several jurisdictions in the US, gay marriage has attained legal status. Nine states including Maryland, Maine, Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Washington have legitimized gay marriage or same-sex marriage. On the other hand, there are 30 states which have prohibited gay marriage in their constitutions and nine others ban it by statute. The question facing us now is, should the US government reverse the marriage laws of 44 states and rework on the constitutions of 30 states in order to make marriage genderless? I think the answer should be in negative. Further into this essay, I would furnish a brief history of gay marriage and same sex unions throwing light upon the reasons which make gay marriage totally an unacceptable proposition.
History of Same Sex Marriage
Though granting the official recognition to same sex marriage might be a novel concept of modern century, but the history of same sex unions is few centuries old. The practice of same sex unions prevailed in ancient Rome and Greece, in some parts of China and in ancient Europe. Same sex unions were quite prevalent until the Roman Empire officially adopted Christianity as religion. A law decreed by the Christians emperors in 342 AD first banned same sex marriage in archaic Rome with an order to execute those bound in same sex. In the ancient Assyrian society of Mesopotamia, there was nothing wrong between the marriages of same sex partners. In China during the regime of Ming dynasty females often entered in contracts with younger females ceremoniously with men following the same set of arrangements with other men. The existence of this sort of contract was in vogue in ancient Europe too.
In modern times across the 20th and 21st centuries same sex unions have received legal acceptance in many European countries including Belgium, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Spain. In the United States there was a concept of Boston marriage where two women used to enter into a long term commitment of staying together independent of any men support, though there is no evidence to prove of Boston marriage involving sexual activity. It was in 1969 that Rev. Tro Perry first made a public gay marriage in the US. Although it was not legally accepted, the marriage created havoc at that time. In the following years, an array of lawsuits was filed by the church or independent people seeking recognition of same sex marriages. The issue of same sex marriage first got an attention of national level in 1993 Hawaii case which ruled that the prohibition of same sex marriage violates the constitutional prohibition of sex discrimination. Incidentally, Hawaii and Alaska are the first two states to issue constitutional amendments against gay marriage with other US states following suit.
Reasons of Gay Marriage being Unacceptable
- Gay Marriage against Natural Reproduction
Marriage is an institution recognized between a man and a woman who are united in order for procreation to help nature sustain. Gay marriage is an indirect way of stating that reproduction is not important and that children can grow up without a mother or father. This would result in deconstruction of the family unit. Further, marriage is crucial to raising the children created out of such union. Matrimony between a man and a woman contributes to the survival of a society. The first man and woman Adam and Eve were created by God in order for the creation to survive through reproduction, generation after generation. This law of nature would be totally ruined if gay marriage is legalized.
- Denial of Natural Parents to a Child
Same sex marriage deprives a child either of his biological father or mother. For the best interest of a child, he should be raised under the caring of his biological parents. The travails encountered by most of the orphans or children raised by a single parent, surrogate parents or relatives confirm the need of natural parents in a child's life. In a gay marriage, it will turn to a norm with children being raised by one party not related to him by blood. As a result the child will always miss either a mother or father as role model. Girls raised without fathers are found to be more sexually active in their early teens resulting in unwed teen pregnancy. Children raised without mothers are emotionally insecure and lack the presence of warmth that mothers provide. Studies show that children raised in homosexual environment are more likely to turn homosexual when they grow up. Fiona Tasker and Susan Golombok in their book 'Growing up in a Lesbian Family: Effects on Child Development' have observed that in a study involving children raised by lesbian parents, 25% of teens brought up by lesbian parents have reported of engaging in homoerotic activity as opposed to 0% of the teens brought up by heterosexual mothers (F.Tasker and S. Golombok).
- Gay Marriage against Social Structure
Marriage is a social structure we have known since immemorial time. This social structure is extremely important for the healthy upbringing of our future generations. Nature makes us imitate our forefathers and that is why most of us follow in our elders’ footsteps. If children grow up seeing homosexual parents or adults then there is a likelihood of their turning homosexual too. Legalization of gay marriage will develop a gay culture in the society encouraging the growth of such unnatural sexual desire which if continued will prove harmful for the survival of nature.
- Promotion of Polygamy
Gay marriage promotes polygamy because in terms of commitment, homosexuals are found to be less likely to remain faithful to their partners or enter a long term relationship. Allowing gay marriage would result in degradation of the society and the concept of fidelity and commitment in marriage. A survey made on homosexual couples came up with the following findings:
- 100% of the homosexual partners faced infidelity within the first 5 years of their relationship.
- Couples who managed to last their relationship over the mark of 10 years have been able to do so by accepting infidelity in their relationship
- Over 85% couples held the reason of infidelity as the source of all the problems in their relationship
The result above shows how fragile the relationships between gay couples are and how granting gay relationships with legal status would promote infidelity in relationships.
- Encouragement to Others
Further, if today gay marriage is legalized, then there is a chance for another section of people attracted toward their siblings demanding legalization of their union. If marriage between same sex members is allowed, then people in love with their sisters or brothers or daughters would ask for their union to be recognized. Would that be a healthy prospect for a society? Not only incestuous relationship, gay marriage might encourage others with abnormal sexual desires like those who practice zoophilia. If people engaged in zoophilia come and demand to get married to animals or pet, would that be normal?
- Promotion of Transgender Variants
Gay marriage will promote its transgender and transsexual variants. Granting gay marriage with a legal right will encourage transsexual and transgender people to go for sex change operations which would be an unnatural phenomenon in a society. A woman would be made into a man without any biological capability to produce children and the same would apply for a man who would turn into a woman. He might acquire the external features of a woman through an operation but the operation cannot produce the biological organs of a woman required for procreation. Though there are cases of transgender men giving birth but that is highly an abnormal activity. For example, a transgender man called Thomas who was showcased in Barbara Walter's show 20/20 has been able to give birth to a baby. But Thomas was originally a woman who underwent sex change operation. He had the breasts removed but retained her clitoris and uterus. In order to conceive he was inseminated a donated sperm of a donor. So though he is legally a man, he has clitoris and uterus which I think is totally abnormal and against nature. He went through hormonal treatment to enlarge his clitoris, grow moustache and acquire male's voice (Askville). He uses his enlarged clitoris as penis and claims to get erections. Does a woman becoming a man with clitoris and uterus sound normal? But gay marriage exactly promotes this abnormality.
- An Immoral Practice cannot become a Civil Right
Homosexual activists often compare gay marriage right with the civil right movement of racial equality which is utterly nonsensical because race and sexual preferences are two different things that cannot be mixed up with each other. A woman and man desiring to marry each other may be racially and culturally different but still they are man and woman and hence nature is not violated by their union. Gay marriage is immoral because it is against the rules of nature and hence unacceptable.
Conclusion
Gay marriage is currently a topic of heated debate across the United States. Though the concept of giving gay marriage a legal status is a novel one, the concept of same sex unions, however, existed in the world for hundreds of centuries. There are many reasons that make the proposition of legalizing gay marriage an unacceptable one. Gay marriage hinders natural reproductions by creating sterile unions, denies a child the right to grow up with his natural parents, affects the equilibrium of social structure, promotes polygamy, gives encouragement to other abnormal sexual preferences and lastly it is an immoral practice that cannot be equated with struggle of racial equality. Considering all the factors explained above I think gay marriage is not at all beneficial for the growth of our society and hence it should not be approved of.
Works Cited
1. Robert T. Michael, Edward O. Laumann, Gina Bari Kolata, Sex in America, Warner Books, Sep. 19th, 1995.
2. F. Tasker & S. Golombok, Growing Up in a Lesbian Family: Effects on Child Development, Guilford Press; 1 edition. March 7, 1997
3. Does a transgender man who used to be a woman and gets pregnant confuse you?, Askville. Retrieved on 10th May 2013 from http://askville.amazon.com/transgender-man-woman-pregnant-confuse/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=27355224
4."10 Reasons Why Homosexual “Marriage” is Harmful and Must be Opposed", Retrieved on 10th May 2013 from http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/politically-incorrect/homosexuality/10-reasons-why-homosexual-marriage-is-harmful-and-must-be-opposed.html
5. Peter Sprigg, "Same-Sex 'Marriage' Would Lead to a Push for Polygamy", Retrieved on 10th May 2013 from http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-gay-marriage-be-legal-nationwide/same-sex-marriage-would-lead-to-a-push-for-polygamy
6. Alex Altman, a Brief History of: Gay Marriage, May 22, 2008. Retrieved on 10th May 2013 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1808617,00.html
