Arguments in support of same-sex marriage legalization

¶ … Defense of Gay Marriage

Over time, the issue of gay marriage has been regarded controversial. Proponents and opponents of the same continue to front arguments in support of their positions. I strongly believe that gay couples should enjoy the same marriage benefits their heterosexual counterparts enjoy. In this text, I discuss gay marriage and why it should be permitted.

Why Gay Marriage Should Be Permitted

Most of those opposed to gay marriage cite procreation as being the primary purpose of marriage and as such, individuals of the same sex should not be allowed to marry owing to the fact that they can't procreate. The view of procreation as an inalienable component of marriage is however defective. If procreation is indeed an inalienable constituent of marriage, should a heterosexual couple that cannot procreate as a result of issues to do with infertility be denied marriage? In my opinion, procreation just like companionship should be viewed as one of the components of marriage but not as the sole component of the same.

Yet another prominent argument floated in opposition to gay marriage is casually referred to as the slippery-slope argument. Proponents of this argument argue that permitting gay marriage will open the floodgates for other practices considered questionable or disreputable. This argument is largely supportive of the classical view that adopting a given policy often leads to the adoption of a number of other related policies. For instance, what will keep us from legalizing polygamy after we permit gay marriage? It is however important to note that this view is largely based on assumptions. There is no evidence indicating that permitting gay marriage could influence the adoption of a similar stand on other contentious issues.

Taking into consideration the issues presented in the discussion above, denying gay couples benefits similar to those accessed by their heterosexual couples does not have any valid justification. In support of gay marriage, it should be noted that individual autonomy in matters relationship should at all times be respected. In my opinion, two people who love and are committed to each other should not be denied marriage on the basis of gender. Indeed, in a wider perspective, denying two grownup individuals capable of making their own decisions the opportunity to celebrate their commitment to each other in marriage is a minor form of discrimination. According to Knox and Schacht (2012), it has been argued "that banning or refusing to recognize same-sex marriages…denies same-sex couples the many legal and financial benefits that are granted to heterosexual married couples."

Secondly, it is important to note that permitting gay marriage could have a positive impact on both the individuals concerned and the society at large. From an individual perspective, marriage has been shown to have certain psychological as well as physical benefits on married couples. As Rosenthal (2012) points out, "marriage bestows a number of advantages -- financial, sexual, physical, and psychological." If that is indeed the case, then it is likely that denying same-sex couples the right to marry does have a negative impact on both their psychological and physical well-being. This is more so the case given that most of those of a different sexual orientation may never end up in a heterosexual kind of relationship.