Gay marriage in America Essay

America was built on the rear of equality for all men how of all time, non until clean-madely project aerial and lesbian somebodys inherited such cultured rights. One of the largest and most urgent issues effecting the unfearing population is the issue of lively espousals. Marriage is defined as the relationship that exists amongst a husband and wife or a similar relationship amidst people of the aforesaid(prenominal) turn on (Websters). deep down the past ten old age fifteen states have legalized man marriage.As of Nov. 13, 2013, braw marriage has been legalizedin 15 US states (CA, CT, DE, HI, IA, MA, MD, ME,MN, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT, and WA) and the Districtof Columbia. 34 states have audacious marriage bans througheither laws or perfect amendments or both. (Procon)Fifteen states legalizing jocund marriage in ten years is a hefty the accomplishment howalways, it is still, and continues to be, a very polarizing issue at heart the country. The passage and accepta nce of gay marriage effects m both disparate diversity categories including but not limited to age, religion, and ethnicity and race, and economic status.Age there is a head correlation between age and the opinion of uniform sex marriage in America. According to The pew Research Center, young Americans atomic number 18 much more than accepting and advance same sex unions over sure-enough(a) Americans (PewResearchgroup).Individuals, born after 1980, favor allowing gays andlesbians to embrace licitly by a 53%-to-39% margin,while there is less offer for same-sex marriage amongBaby Boomers those born 1946 to 1964 than amongyounger age groups. Currently, 38% favor allowing gaysand lesbians to marry legally while 52% atomic number 18 opposed(Pew Research)These recent poling numbers would suggest a continuing trend from contemporaries to generation each new generation is more in favor of same sex marriage than the previous. With more Americans favoring same sex marriage than ever before, one would believe this trend of acceptance of gay marriage give continue over the next generations to come. Religionthither is a strong relationship between how apparitional you see yourself and your views and attitudes toward gay marriage. This idea is not very surprising although very important as it contributes to an beneathstanding of the religious factors that enamor opinions about issues directly impacting the gay population. Religious attending is associated with detrimental attitudes towards gay and lesbians and less support to gay and lesbian civil rights. (Todd and Ong, 1) There is a corroboratory link between high religious attendance and negative attitudes towards gay marriage religious attendance is a invariable predictor of attitudes towards gay marriage. Within subgroups of religion such as Christian Orthodoxy and conservative Protestant, with such an identification, therefore reducing the odds of supporting gay marriage. (Todd and Ong, 1) Findin gs suggest the more one identifies and strictly practises their religious views has a direct link to their views on gay marriage.Ethnicity and RaceViews and opinions, whether they be negative or positive regarding gay marriage changes and varies within ethnicities and race. African-Americans are generally more opposed to gay marriage versus their white counterparts. African-American religiosity is generally responsible for their conservative views about homosexuality and same-sex marriage. (Sherkat, Mattias de Vries, and Creek, 81) The factors of race and religion most relate to each new(prenominal) in this aspect and help to diverge each other. As stated above religion has great influence on ones views of same-sex marriage and African-Americans have the highest rates of religious participation of any subgroup of the U.S. population (Sherkat, Mattias de Vries, and Creek 81)Between 1998 and 2004, white opposition to same-sexmarriage declined to under 54 share, and it dipped tou nder 46 percent by 2008. resistivity to same-sex marriagealso declined substantially for those of other races,decreasing to under 40 percent in the 2004 survey, andfluctuating between 45percent in 2006 and 43 percent in2008. Yet, African-American opposition did not declinesubstantially between 1988 and 2006. (Sherkat, Mattias deVries, and Creek 81)Within different races the opinions of gay marriage depend to be changing with the times except for the African-American race. Again, whether it is due to outside factors of religion, culture, or tradition, the African-American race seems to be lagging in the forward consummation of gay marriage.SummaryAs Americans we are guaranteed certain inalienable civil rights and liberties, however as we have seen and know that is not always true. found on an individuals sexual preference the ability to marry is not always assured. Factors such as age, religion, ethnicity and race, and economic status greatly influence ones opinion on same sex ma rriage. Those who are older and more religious oppose gay marriage more than their counterparts who are younger and less religious. Is this to say every older religious individual does not believe in same sex marriage? The termination is no however, these factors such as age and religiousness tend to follow these trends. There is also variation in opinions within races and ethnicities. White Americans seem to be the most accepting of gay marriage over African-Americans and other races.DiscussionThe decision on choosing gay marriage legalization and views in America today comes from the realization that there are more gay couples seeking marriage in todays society than ever before. queer marriage is no different than heterosexual marriage between a man and a woman with the one obvious ejection of gay marriage being between two individuals of the same-sex. Often times, gay marriages are not granted the same civil rights and civil liberties as their heterosexual counterparts. Age, r eligion, ethnicity and race, and economic status greatly factor into ones positive or negative views on gay marriage.Throughout this course I have learned that some individuals or even groups of people, such as the gay population, have a very difficult time obtaining the same advantages as their peers. In the past, homosexuality was something to be feared, however, today the public opinion of gay marriage is changing for the check. Stereotypes and prejudices still exist today however they are slowly being phased out by an understanding and more positive attitude towards gay marriage. As of today fifteen states have legalized gay marriage with many other states predicated to soon follow suit.This research has helped me better understand the struggle and plight that the gay community often faces for staple civil rights. Liberties and benefits that I take for granted that come along with marriage are not often extended to the gay community found solely on sexual orientation. I ha ve gained a new appreciation of marriage because I know it is not something that is equal for everyone as well as not obtainable for every individual at this present time. Marriage is not something to be taken for granted because there are those that still cannot share in its wealth. American was built on the foundation of freedom for all regardless of differing diversities I believe this should keep on true for all regardless of sexual orientation.Work CitedGay MarriageProCon.org. ProConorg Headlines. ProConorg, 11 Nov.2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. Kohut, Andrew. Less Opposition to Gay Marriage, Adoption and Military Service. Pew Research Center for the People and the Press RSS. People Press, 22 Mar. 2006. Web. 06 Nov. 2013 Marriage. Marriage. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.Sherkat, Darren, Kylan Mattais De Vrias, and Stacia Creek. Race, Religion, and Opposition to Same-. Social Science Quarterly (2010) 80-100. EBSCO. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. . Todd, Nathan R., and Katherine S. Ong. Political and theological Orientation as Moderators for the Association between Religious Attendance and Attitudes toward Gay Marriage for White Christians.Psychology of Religion and Spirtuality 4.1 (2011) 56-70. EBSCO. Web. 2013. .