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Gay marriages

Student:

Institution:

Introduction

            Gay marriages refer to the marriages between persons of the same gender. This kind of marriage institutions have become center of debate internationally due to the diverse laws on their legality and/ or illegality. Having been brought up in a Christian family, I have my own reservations on allowing gay marriages in the law. This paper addresses the evolution of gay marriage laws in California among other elements that should be addressed alongside gay marriage debate. The paper analyzes the infringement of personal rights, the issue of adoption, separation of sex from marriage, and the impact of religion in its analysis. The discussion is also triggered by the acceptance of gay marriages in California. The main aim of this paper is to express the view of the persons who oppose legality of gay marriages.

Facts on separation between sex and marriage

            While one of the main elements in a marriage relationship is sex, these are two different aspects in the debate. My study through the biblical teachings on gay marriages and gay sex shows that the bible talks of the two differently. The teachings about gay sex are more evident as opposed to the teachings on gay marriages. I would not comment on what other religions belief on gay sex and marriages since I do not have the authority to a religion that I do not subscribe to. Below are some of the biblical quotes that relate to the topic

Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (King James Bible Online, 2014)

Genesis 19: 4-11 “… all the men from every part of the city of Sodom — both young and old — …said, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."(King James Bible Online, 2014)

Leviticus 20:13 “If a man also lies with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination” (King James Bible Online, 2014)

The above readings are part of the readings that the Christian community uses to condemn gay marriages. While the quotes do not generally refer to gay marriages, the argument is that Gay marriages are assumed to result to gay sex automatically. The reference to the bible (and other religious teachings) has been opposed to by the proponents of gay marriages since most states (virtually all in America) are secular. This leads to other dissuasions which the opponents use to solidify their position against gay marriages.

Marriage and child bearing/ adoption

            The proponents of gay marriages will always distinguish between the issues of child bearing and marriage. First, the percentage of single parent families (either male or female) is on the rise in the State of California. In the last ten years spanning from 2000 nuclear families had decreased by 10%. This however has not led to a decrease in the birth rate in California in the same duration of time (Kate, Ali, & Scott, 2014). With this statistics it is presumed that the persons who are engaged to gay marriages are not obliged not to have children. In fact both the American constitution and the different laws in California do not prohibit any person regardless of being single, married or divorced from having children.

            However, this same scenario is a pointer towards the confusion that may arise in the future. There are no clear biological facts that show that two male can have children or two female can have children as a male and female would do. For the sake of maintenance of the gay status, parents who get children out of wedlock may deny their children the rights to know their fathers and/ or mothers. The denial of the children is both an intrusion of their basic rights as it is a detrimental factor in the growth and development of the children.

            According to Bowlby's Attachment Theory, Bowlby shows that children feel more attached to their real parents as they play an important role in their growth and development. This theory among other theories has been quoted consistently in discussions on access to children in child bearing court cases. According to this theory, each child has a need for the presence of these parents (monotropy) especially in the first years of life. This is a dependent factor in the development of fear and other instructive aspects (Saul, 2007).

            The other option that a gay couple can acquire children is through adoption. The legality of gay couples in California has given a leeway for the adoption of children by them. The opponents of gay marriages are opposed to the adoption of the children as they are also against the gay marriages. The main factor in this opposition is the perceived in ability of the gay couple to teach the morals on marriages to the children. The counter argument that the proponents of gay marriage have is that they also consider gay marriages to be morally correct. According to Huffington post, most of the gay persons come from families whose parents are not gay. The issue of gay is a personal choice which may not be specifically dependent on whether the parents were gay or not.

            The millennial generation is specifically known to be liberal and the practicality of the norms, traditions and culture that has been upheld by their parents is not found as adopted by them. The change in culture in millennial generation has led to the increase in gay marriages and this is a landmark change that has not been evidenced before. The opponents of gay marriages are however not opposed to culture change. However, culture change to them does not include issues that are against nature. Nature in this case includes the fact that sex and in extension production is not based on a single gender but both gender. Even reproduction in plants and animals is based on two sets of gender and this shows that nature does not specifically support gay marriages

Conclusion

            From the above discussion, it is clear that both proponents and opponents of gay marriages have valid reasons on the issue of gay marriages. As the lawmakers have put it, involvement in gay marriages should be left to each person to consider whether to be in a gay married, in a nuclear married or even to remain unmarried. However, there the opponents have enough ground to prove the abomination of gay marriages in religion and as far as reproduction nature is concerned.

 References   

Huffington Post, (November, 2014). Parents of Gay Children. New York: Author

Kate, L. Ali, B. & Scott, M, (2014). Data show state families changing. Los Angeles: Los             Angeles Times

King James Bible Online, (2014). Bible Verses About Gay Marriage. Retrived from             http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Gay-Marriage/

Saul, M. (2007). Bowlby's Attachment Theory. California: Simple Psychology retrieved from             http://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html