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Julie Schaefer Professor Muchun Yin English 120 Argumentative Essay Should Same-sex Marriage be Legal in all States? “In a historic turnaround, the ballot box is showing America's shifting attitudes about same-sex marriage. After gay marriage rights died at the polls dozens of times in the past, on Tuesday they passed in at least two states,” reports Ben Brumfield of CNN on Wednesday, November 7th, just a day after Maine and Maryland passed the same-sex marriage law. Same-sex marriage is one of the most controversial topics in America today. Many people associate Christians as completely unsupportive of same-sex marriage. However, as a young Christian woman growing up in a confused world, I stand confidently in my decision to support same-sex marriage. In this paper, I will highlight the main reasons of why same-sex marriage should be legalized in all states with support from our countries legal documents like the Constitution and Amendments, as well as studies done on same-sex adoptions. Essentially, same-sex couples can already live as a legally married couple in all states. Article IV Section I of the Constitution states, “Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State.” Thus, if a gay couple is married in a state that has already legalized same-sex marriage and they decide to move to a different state, that other state must recognize their marriage. In effect, the “full faith and credit” clause allows one state to make same-sex marriage legal in the entire country. I think it would be the right decision for every state, regardless of their views of morality on the subject, to legalize

same-sex marriage if gay and lesbian couples can technically get married in Maryland, but then proceed to move to Indiana. Article IV Section I is not the only clause within the Constitution that supports equal rights among citizens. Peter Strauss of Cornell University Law says in his article Due Process, “The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment forbids the states from…otherwise discriminating invidiously against their citizens.” If same-sex couples are not allowed to get married in certain states because of the majority of the people’s personal dislike for gay and lesbian couples, then their rights as citizens per the Fourteenth Amendment to our Constitution are being explicitly violated. Same-sex couples should have the option of being legally married in all states, even if the majority of the vote in some states is against it. Gays and lesbians are, and always will be, citizens of the “land of the free.” If the United States actually was the land of the free, then all of the states would agree to give every citizen the same rights, including those within the gay and lesbian communities. It is now apparent that not allowing a same-sex couple to marry is a violation of their Constitutional rights as citizens of the United States of America. Even though the argument for same-sex marriage should be fool-proof because of the laws set forth in this legal document, arguments against same-sex marriage cease to culminate. One of the biggest arguments against gay and lesbian couples is the assumption that they will not and cannot provide a stable household for children. Many Christians make the argument of children not having a balanced upbringing, since the Fifth Commandment states, “Honour thy Father and Mother.” However, studies have shown a rise in adoption from gay and lesbian couples. About nineteen percent of same-sex couples raising children reported having an adopted child in 2009 (Tavernise). Also, many other studies reflect thriving children in the homes of same-sex couples. Jeanie Lerche

Davis of WebMD Health News quotes Ellen C. Perrin, a professor of pediatrics at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, “Children growing up in gay homes seem to be more tolerant of diversity, which is certainly of value in our multicultural society. The children also seem to be less aggressive, more nurturing at a young age -- in preschool and early elementary school. They seem to be able to resolve conflicts in a less-aggressive way than other children.” The studies reflect how homosexual couples are no different than heterosexual couples and how they create just as much of a loving home to adopted children. The Constitution and studies of same-sex adoption exemplify why same-sex marriage should be legalized in all states. Every person in our country should be able to share the same and fair rights as everyone else, whether they love a person of their same sexual orientation or not. Also, if same-sex couples are not able to get married, then the adoption rates will most likely plummet, leaving many children without caring and loving homes. It would be a shame to not give legal citizens of the United States fair jurisdiction because of their choice in a mate. Gay and lesbian couples are no different than anyone else.

Brumfield, Ben. "Voters Approve Same-sex Marriage for the First Time." CNN. Cable News Network, 07 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 Dec. 2012. . US Const. art. iv, sec i. Print. Strauss, Peter. "Due Process." Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. . Tavernise, Sabrina. "Adoptions Rise by Same-Sex Couples, Despite Legal Barriers." The Dispatch.com. Steve Skaggs, 14 June 2011. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Davis, Jeanie Lerche. "Adoption in Same-Sex Couples." WebMD. WebMD, 4 Feb. 2002. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. Messerli, Joe. "Should Same-sex Marriage Be Legalized." BalancedPolitics.org – Balanced Discussion of Political and Social Issues. N.p., 07 Jan. 2012. Web. 01 Dec. 2012. ....