Same-Sex Marriage Lilly Kalantzis Winter 2014, Durham College

Heterosexual is defined as having a sexual orientation to someone of the opposite sex. Homosexual is defined as having a sexual orientation to someone of the same sex. Between these two definitions the single deference is whom that individual chooses to be with: the opposite gender of themselves or the same. Today in the twenty-first century same-sex marriage is still looked down upon on people who believe a marriage should consist of a man and a woman. People who only believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman believe in tradition and nothing else. Looking into a perspective of sociology, the functionalist theory looks at society as a whole and determines its functions of the way it is organized to be able to maintain stability. Regarding same-sex marriage, individuals who seek the functionalist perspective are against the idea. To them same-sex marriage destroys the idea of the ideal family, legalizing same-sex marriage would change the standards of society, and families will become unstable. On the other hand, the feminist perspective would disagree entirely about same-sex marriage. They are all for equality and rights to individuals well being. Whether you are for or against samesex marriage, everyone in society deserves their own rights to live their own life. The ideal family consists of: a father, a mother, a child, a dog, with a beautiful house and the mother stays home to take care of the children, does the laundry and cooks while the father works to pay the bills. Maybe in the ninetieth-century that was the norm. However, today families are evolving and so is marriage. Functionalist do not want to seek change, they want to keep traditions because they believe that is the way to life and there is no other way to live. Over the years, things have changed. Mothers are now the independent income for the household, while the father stays home. Some families are now adopting children instead of having their own for personal reasons or a medical

reason. Divorce is also occurring resulting in a single parent raising children. Also, samesex marriage is another factor of the change that society is evolving from. Society must learn and grow and for a change like same-sex couples to be appreciated things need to take measures. In most cities the gay pride parade is an event for the gay community and individuals who support gay rights to come together and celebrate how far the gay community has come. They show off with fun, colourful costumes and support the gay pride flag of a rainbow, which signifies the unity of one. That no matter whom or what you are you will be and should be accepted. The functionalist perspective teaches that the only way society can function is if everyone works together on the jobs they are supposed to do. What many people do not understand is that there is no difference between marriage and same-sex marriage. Who you love and decide whom you would like to spend the rest of your life with should not have an impact and should have no affect on society. Gay rights have come a long way from what it used to be. Individuals are now more accepted and can express themselves in a way they are comfortable with. Unfortunately legalizing same-sex marriage is an issue in todays society. For some countries: The Netherlands in 2001, Belgium in 2003 Canada and Spain in 2005, South Africa in 2006, Norway and Sweden in 2009, Portugal, Iceland and Argentina in 2010, Denmark in 2012, Uruguay and New Zealand, France, Brazil, UK and US (only 13 states it is legalized) in 2013 have all legalized gay-marriage! Many countries accept same-sex civil partnerships and hopefully will come to accepting and legalization the marriage of the same sex. Out of the fifty-two states only thirteen have legalized same-sex marriage in the United States of America. A country that is so evolved and has an impact on the rest of the world, it is

quite despairing that not everyone believes in same-sex couples. Many of those individuals are still in vote for a traditional society. That notion of an ideal marriage has not left their closed minded opinions. May they look at the evolved world of female rights what our world has come to in present day. In the early 1900s, women had no rights to begin with. They were not allowed to vote, to hold a job or to even have an opinion. Women stayed at home and took care of their household and their men. Now look at women today. They can vote, they can hold a job, they can have an opinion and no one can stop them. They are as equal to men in every way. How come women have evolved so much and yet same-sex marriage the difference being that who you love cannot be accepted in the society we live in today. As people, we have evolved from the change in society, have accepted and have created things that no one would have thought would happen. Now, such a small matter when it is thought of, has turned into to a matter that a person can not live their life the way they wish too because we have individuals living in our fast paced, evolved society who are closed minded and have no acceptance for change. The ideal couple comes from a man and woman that come together in holy matrimony and produce a child. Looking through the eyes of an individual who believes that society is one and has a purpose and function that determines the way society should run to become stable, believes that the purpose is tradition and tradition calls for a man and woman to conserve a child. The tradition is broken once a man and man or woman and woman come together in holy matrimony and the problem is they are unable to conceive a child. Therefore if same-sex marriage is legalized, children will not be produced. These individuals must not live in a time where technology is at its peak. The

idea that once legalized children will not be produced is barbaric. From a functionalist perspective the only way a child can come to a family is from being conceived. In some ways, yes that is very true. The only way for a child to enter this world is from being conceived by a man and woman. But, there are other ways for a family to receive a child appose from being conceived by the parents of that family. Adoption is the most common road to follow for families of the same sex. Many children are being conceived and their parents are unable to take are of them because of certain circumstances. Now, there is a great opportunity to save that child's life by bringing into a home with loving fathers or mothers. Technology is at its peak and with technology comes great inventions. Lesbians are now able to seek out a sperm donor that donates ones own sperm to be given to a mother who cannot have children because of medical reasons or because they are in a same-sex marriage. For gay couple one can seek out a woman who is willing to carry the same-sex couples baby for them. The sperm of one of the males is inseminated into the women. The idea that children will not be produced if society legalizes same-sex marriage is amusing to one with a very open-minded. Looking into a different perspective that is for same-sex marriage, the feminist theory fits perfectly. Feminist focuses on the equality and rights of men and women. They feel that everyone in society should be allowed to do what they please. If that do is being in a same-sex relationship then, society needs to and should allow that to happen. Many countries believe that everyone deserve their on rights. However, some of those countries still think that same-sex marriage should not be legalized for ones rights. The difference between the functionalist theory and the feminist theory is that they are for or against tradition. Feminist does not accept tradition. They understand that society is

evolving and tradition is no longer substantial in many individuals lives. Tradition is what kills equality. They try to educate people to become open minded and to allow their mind to accept everyone in society. They teach that no one in society is better or worse, that everyone is the same and should be treated with the up most respect that you would wish to be treated for yourself. Same-sex marriage deserves from everyone the up most respect that marriage receives from society. Same-sex marriage is just in every way the same as marriage. The traditions that were once ruling society are slowing vanishing. The amounts of countries that are legalizing same-sex marriage are slowly rising. The rights and equality of a gay couple are slowly being accepted. The world is slowly accepting gay couples. It will take time but the amount our society has come is astonishing. The day that our grandchildren do not know the difference between a heterosexual marriage and a homosexual marriage will be the day that society has officially broken tradition for the better and the rights of equality have been served.

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10 Reasons Why Homosexual Marriage is Harmful and Must be Opposed. (n.d.). TFP Student Action. Retrieved March 14, 2014 from http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/politically-incorrect/homosexuality/-10-reasons-whyhomosexual-marriage-is-harmful-and-must-be-opposed.htm.

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heterosexuals/ (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.dictionary.refrence.com/browse/Heterosexuals?s-t.