Should Same-Sex Marriage be legalized?
Before explaining same-sex marriage, let me define homosexuality first.
“Homosexuality” refers to emotional, sexual attraction or sexual behavior between same
sexes. This situation was normal even in ancient Greece and had very long history. And yet,
there seems to be negative prejudices and methods to contain homosexuals. Against this,
there are rising opinions against ignorant containment and opinions for amending laws to
allow homosexual marriage. With this rise of different opinions, there have been global
disputes whether legalizing homosexual marriage is good or not.
Homosexual rights movement started late 19th century. By the late 20th century, as
homosexual became a public issue with public interests, the dispute rose as well. There was a
time when homosexual was considered as a psychological disease, but it is now considered as
one of the sexual identities. Netherland, Belgium, and other European countries have
legalized homosexual marriage, but the United States isn’t sure yet. Every individual has
different ideas about homosexual marriage, but it seems today that the homosexual is to be
accepted as one of us.
The topic I wish to discuss is not whether or not the relationship should be allowed but
whether or not the marriage should be legalized. I would like to take on the basis that the
homosexual relationship is to be allowed. Relationship between two adults is private, and it
cannot be considered illegal. However, legalizing marriage is a different issue. Marriage is
something that affects society called family as well. This point brings up discords whether the
marriage should ever be legalized. Thus, it is necessary for us to bring a conclusion with
thorough social debates. The marriage has experienced drastic changes in modern society.
Now it is time for us to think about what kind of impact legalized homosexual marriage will
have on characteristics of family before defining family and its function.
I do agree that homosexual marriage should be legalized. Legalizing marriage will not just
simply mean allowing relationship but also bringing such relationship to an equal level to
heterosexual marriages with legal right protections. As an individual, he or she also do have
right to take advantage of natural rights. Legalizing homosexual marriage is related to
recovery of human rights, the right to pursue one’s happiness and democracy.
Homosexual treated equally as heterosexual includes custody, joint ownership of property
and substitution of the right of decision-making. Homosexual union is not too different from
that of heterosexual union or ordinary families. Homosexuals are receiving unreasonable
prejudices originated from hard-headed gender dichotomy, heterosexism and patriarchy. In
fact in Korea, even if homosexual couple has maintained their relationship for a considerable
amount of time, when they part away or partner dies, they are driven out of their site of living
because their relationship is not recognized. For example, there was a case of a homosexual
couple who could not make medical decisions for a partner who fell with sudden brain tumor
