Same-Sex Marriages

Same-Sex Marriage: An Introduction

The minute a human being is conceived, it is already endowed with the rights that are accorded to it by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These fundamental civil rights include the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They include the right to speak their minds, to express their opinions, to take part in their government. These rights also include the right to marry.

Historically, the concepts of rights, whether they are civil or political, have been in existence since the Founding Fathers of the American nation drafted the first Constitution. However, for many years, people have been denied the right to enjoy these rights. For example, for almost 400 years, African-Americans were denied basic civil rights. It was only in the 1960s, when they were recognized by American law as human beings equal to whites and are therefore entitled to the same rights, even things as simple as where to sit on a bus, or a park.

What about women? For the longest time, women were denied many political rights, like voting or running for a government position.

The above mentioned are just examples of how, over the years, governments and societies have deprived civil and political rights to people with no justifiable cause or reason. It is common knowledge that these groups were deprived of their rights because of reasons that had nothing to do with their value as human beings, but because of the value that society placed on them as human beings.

This paper discusses the same concern, which is the deprivation of the basic civil right to marry for homosexuals. This paper also discusses the various reasons that society uses to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriages, as well as the reasons why the said marriages should be legalized. This paper tries to take into account the views of various groups, especially religious groups, but focuses more on the universality of granting civil rights, in an effort to enlighten as many people as possible about the value of civil rights and to show how the failure to legalize same-sex marriages is a breach of civil rights universally.

This paper aims to discuss certain points about homosexuality such as homosexuals’ way of living, their views and opinions on how the society treats them, what has/have caused their being gay or lesbian, movements that protect their rights and identity, and reason out why marriage should be allowed among homosexuals by researching upon discussions of these topics in credible books, reading articles or stories that may be found in newspapers and magazines, and interviewing homosexuals, relatives of such people, judges, lawyers, and people who are in the position to speak of such topic. No religious views regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage will be discussed in this paper if only to maintain a level of objectivity regarding the issue. Also, certain unfamiliar terms will be encountered in this paper, such as the following:

• Homosexual вЂ"a person who is attracted to a person with the same gender and also recognizes him/herself as a homosexual

• Heterosexual вЂ"a person who is attracted to a person of the opposite gender

• Lesbian вЂ"refers to a female homosexual

• Gay вЂ"refers to a male homosexual

• Transgender вЂ"a person who feels they belong to the opposite sex and aspires to have the body of the opposite sex

• Bisexual вЂ"a person who is attracted to both male and female

• Heterosexism вЂ"discrimination against homosexuals by heterosexuals

• Homophobia вЂ"fear of homosexuals

This paper aims to educate its readers and expose them to the homosexuals’ points of view, experiences, and rights. It also aims to create awareness of the plight of homosexuals and support them in their quest to gain civil and political rights equivalent to those of heterosexuals, or the people considered “normal” by society.

A Perfect Identity

Everyone has their own way of gaining happiness because everyone deserves to be happy. There are just some people who find happiness with someone of the same sex, which is the reason why they chose to be homosexual. Homosexuals are attracted to members of the same sex because they find their points of compatibility with them. They seek satisfying, loving relationships, whether it be short-term or long term. Homosexuals fall in love with one another and share intimate and committed monogamous relationships, just as heterosexual people do (Keily, 1990).

It is also important to note that there is no such thing as a gay lifestyle because homosexuals’ way of living is simply the same as heterosexuals. They eat, sleep and work just like how, as others would put it, “normal” people do. It is just a matter of how the people view homosexuals as part of the society.

To fully understand the issue, we must trace it to its core, firstly by identifying the various several factors that cause homosexuality. First of all, it can be attributed to how a person is affected or influenced by his surroundings, or how he/she learns to adapt to the environment he/she lives in. Second, it can be hereditary. A person gets used to the attitude of a relative who is a homosexual or who was a homosexual. Third, it can also be attributed to his/her own feelings; in a certain time a person can know his/her true identity through his/her own actions, likes and thoughts. He/She will realize the fact that he/she is having a desire that no one can explain but himself/herself only.

There are several movements and/or organizations that fight and protect the homosexuals’ identities and rights. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or LGBT is one of the largest movements that fights, protects and supports homosexuals in most of the countries that do not accept them. Here in the Philippines, it is Lagablab that supports the homosexuals who are being oppressed, discriminated, misjudged, and misinterpreted and/or being molested by those people who are against homosexuals.

Perception of the Society towards Homosexuals

Homosexuality was once considered as mental illness and other people are disgusted by them. The society stereotypes homosexuals