For some years, same-sex marriage (SSM) has been at the top of any list of leading religious/secular/political controversies in North America.
It appears to have some concerns over abortion access. Like abortion access, it is a complex topic, divisive, and not readily amenable to compromise.
The federal government of USA currenlty ignores legal same-sex marriages with its Defense of Marriage act (DOMA) but the law is currently being enforced.
At the present time, Same Sex Marriage has split the U.S. by:
Age: Youth and young adults are generally for SSM; the elderly are against or evenly split.
Political affiliation: Most Democrats are in are favor, Independents slightly less so, Republicans are opposed.
Religion: Conservatives are very strongly opposed; religious liberal, progressives, and secularists are in favor; main line denominations are split.
Geography: The northeast is supportive; the west coast is about evenly split; the rest of the country is against.
Arguments for Same Sex Marriage.
Financial & security: Denying one group the right to marry has many adverse emotional and financial consequences.
Examples are Social Security, Medicare, medical leave, and other benefits; property inheritance.
Equal rights: Denying marriage to same-sex couples removes from one group a fundamental, important human right.
Arguments against Same Sex Marriage.
Religious freedom: For most Americans, marriage is a religious sacrament or ceremony.
Children benefit: Many religiously researchers have found that children thrive best when reared in a home with a married mother and father.
Teaching about SSM: The role of marriage in society is a major topic taught in public schools.
References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay.
1. National Freedom to Marry Day logos are available at: http://www.lambdalegal.org
2. From the Family Research Council's Washington Update mailing list of 2003-OCT-8.
3. Nima Reza, "Vermont Gay Marriage Begins Tuesday," CitizenLink daily update e-mail, 2009-AUG-31.
4. Bob Livingston, "Gay marriage divides GOP," Personal Liberty Digest, 2009-JUN-03, at: http://www.personalliberty.com/
5. John McCain, CNN newsroom transcript, 2007-FEB-11, at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/
6. Philip Pullella, "Gay marriage, abortion new forms of evil: Pope," The Toronto Star, 2005-FEB-23, Page A14.