Banning Gay Marriage: The Demoralization of Homosexuals

Several months ago, my cousin Terri had a beautiful wedding in England. She currently lives there with the woman she plans to spend her life with, Tammy, and is separated from the rest of her family members. Terri would love to someday move back to the United States with her spouse and reunite with the family members she only sees once a year (if that.) However, Terri and Tammy face a devastating obstacle that the majority of the American population cannot understand: Arriving in the United States terminates the legality and stability of their marriage.

It seems ridiculous, that human beings of no other distinction than sexual preference are denied the right to a legal and sacred commitment. It appears as if homophobic Americans are waiting for homosexuals to ignore their true identity, marry a person of the opposite sex, and accept that being heterosexual is the "right thing to do." It is hard to believe that racism and sexism are now not accepted and punishable by law in today's society while it is still debatable whether homosexuals deserve to be treated as equals. In "Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con," Andrew Sullivan discusses the moral issue at hand, as the nature of homosexuality itself is questioned. "Very few people argue that because a person is black, he or she is for that reason incapable of the moral and civil responsibilities of marriage. With homosexuality, of course, that is precisely the issue" (27).