Same Sex Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Same Sex Marriage - Essay Example Analogous to other civil rights movements, a shift in societal norms calls to question the laws of the land, in this case the notion of marriage in legal terms. There is no denying the fact that marriage is an institution traditionally reserved for the heterosexual couples. Given the traditional legal definition of marriage, same sex couples face certain challenges. Same sex marriage is a controversial issue with staunch opposition due to deeply entrenched religious and patriarchal opinions. Those in favor of same-sex marriage have a lot at stake on this particular issue, as many financial and legal benefits are bestowed upon married couples. Pragmatically speaking, marriage ought to be an institution that allows two loving people to legally fulfill their commitment towards each other regardless of their sexual orientation. Thus, legalizing same sex marriage is beneficial not only to the individuals involved, but to the society at large. While it is the belief of many that allowing s ame-sex marriage is legalizing a practice that is against the standard of norms of the society, the truth of the matter is that same sex marriage provides an opportunity for individuals to live a fulfilling life, devoid of psychological and emotional trauma (Polikoff, 101). This does not only benefit the homosexual individuals, but the whole society, considering that such individuals will live a healthy life, which will in turn reduce the costs involved in sustaining or rehabilitating the health of such individuals whenever they suffer from stress, depression and other psychological and mental disorders, arising from their discomfort and the prejudice they face in the current society (Guillen, n.p.). There is an agreement on certain aspect of the argument against homosexual marriage, the most important being the argument that same sex marriage poses a threat of human extinction, considering that when a marriage does not produce children, then, there is the danger of the shortage or lack of a new generation to take up the responsibility of running the world (Guillen, n.p.). Nevertheless, some of the arguments against same sex marriage are just refutable, owing to the fact that they are mostly aligned towards favoring one sectional attitude of the society. The argument that same sex marriage poses the danger of human extinction is not plausible, considering that legalizing same sex marriage does not amount to making it mandatory. Therefore, individuals with a heterosexual orientation will continue with procreation, while those who do not have the prospective for having children can still be comfortable in the society (Polikoff, 104). Additionally, the recognition of same sex marriage will work towards establishing a society of equal values, where the rights of all individuals are respected, and especially the rights of the minority groups. Through the recognition and legalization of same sex m