Gay Marriage Is Absolutely Okay

The subject of gay marriage is one that has been hotly debated for decades, Ever since the early 1980s when the rates of young people coming out as LGBTQ+ steeply increased. This is an issue that affects up to 10% of the American population today, Including myself. It's a question of fundamental human rights: in our very Declaration of Independence, Jefferson cited Locke's trinity of rights: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, That all Men are created equal, That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. " Doesn't the right to marry fall under the right of pursuit of happiness? And, In such, Doesn't barring such a right then violate the core values of the United States itself? Let's unpack this further. In my experience, A typical argument against gay marriage is heavy with religious implications. However, What people seem to be missing is that religion has no place in politics. Separation of church and state dictates that policy cannot be influenced by religion. Despite the need of the legislators in Congress to serve their constituents, A logical argument against gay marriage cannot be made without any religious connotations. The vehement hatred of LGBTQ+ people by many right-winged Christians, In fact, Is in direct conflict with the most central of Christian beliefs: to love all equally, And to not judge, As judging is God's job alone. The Bible itself only mentions what could be inferred to be homosexuality two or three times, And each of these instances could well be understood as other sins, Such as pedophilia (which is most definitely NOT okay, And does NOT fall under the umbrella of LGBTQ+ - the difference here being that pedophilia, By definition, Can never exist between two consenting adults - it is always between an adult and a minor, And such relations are completely unacceptable. ) I am a Christian myself, And am not intending to disparage Christianity, But simply point out a flaw in the rhetoric of anti-LGBTQ+ Christians. Now, I will begin to tackle the points most broadly used among pro-traditional values advocates, The first of which being that gay marriage is a slippery slope to marriage between people and animals, Or children, Or machines, Etc. This is an easy mistake to make if one's view of marriage is a man and his object of affection, And not two consenting, Loving adults invested in a long-term relationship. Here is why the slippery slope argument is flawed: Children, Animals, And machines cannot consent (something which I mentioned above). Therefore, Even going into hypothetical situations here is unnecessary. If one party cannot consent, There isn't even a possibility of marriage. Another argument I encounter often is that gay marriage is immoral. Why? Why is gay marriage immoral? The answer I receive is most likely railing on religion. "Being gay is a sin. " Okay. I understand that the Bible can be interpreted that way. However, As aforementioned, Religion and politics are mutually exclusive in our country. The other answer, Which I receive less often, Is that it's not natural. On the contrary, Homosexuality is completely natural. Penguin populations have been known to exhibit rampant homosexuality, Especially among male penguins. Elephant herds have been observed engaging in homosexual mounting and petting, Such as entwining trunks. In fact, Up to 45% of sexual relations in captive Asian elephants is same-sex. According to Yale, There have been about 500 species of animals recorded to engage in homosexuality. In essence, Homosexuality is as natural as sex itself. On to the third point I counter: that gay marriage goes against tradition. Sixty years ago, Civil rights went against tradition. A hundred years ago, Female suffrage went against tradition. Democracy itself went against tradition when the United States won the Revolution and separated itself from the British monarchy. America was born into going against tradition. Why should this be any different? Equality goes against tradition, But why should this be an issue? Allowing people of every demographic to have the rights they were assigned at birth shouldn't be controversial. So why should long-standing tradition be a valid argument against gay marriage? That's right: it isn't. Point #4! "Children raised by heterosexual parents are emotionally better-adjusted than those raised by same-sex parents. " There is absolutely zero data supporting this - in fact, Studies have shown the opposite! A 2013 Australian study showed that "On measures of general health and family cohesion, Children aged 5-17 years with same-sex attracted parents showed a significantly better score when compared to Australian children from all backgrounds and family contexts. For all other health measures, There were no statistically significant differences. " A 2013 American study showed that "An estimated 16, 000 same-sex couples are raising more than 22, 000 adopted children in the U. S. , And these findings indicate that these children will likely fare no differently, As a result of their family type, Than those being raised by heterosexual parents. " Finally, A study conducted over 30 years concluded that "Extensive data available from more than 30 years of research reveal that children raised by gay and lesbian parents have demonstrated resilience with regard to social, Psychological, And sexual health despite economic and legal disparities and social stigma. Many studies have demonstrated that children's well-being is affected much more by their relationships with their parents, Their parents' sense of competence and security, And the presence of social and economic support for the family than by the gender or the sexual orientation of their parents. " So, No. Children raised by same sex parents aren't put at a disadvantage. Those were some of my thoughts regarding gay marriage. Feel free to debate! I'd love to hear what y