The question of same-sex marriage is one that has been very much in the forefront of public discussion in recent years, with states granting, then withdrawing marriage licenses to gay couples, haggling over legislation as to whether to grant full marriage rights or establish conditions known as domestic partnerships, and trying to come to grips with how to balance differing public opinions on the subject, which are hotly divided in some areas. Some believe that giving gay couples the full benefit of marriage will weaken traditional marriage, while others feel they deserve nothing less. Same-sex couples are denied more than 1,000 federal protections and rights, and most states deny committed same-sex couples hundreds of additional benefits (The Case, 2004). These rights range from the ability to file joint tax returns to the responsibility of making decisions on a partner's behalf in a medical emergency.
My view is that gay couples should be granted full marriage rights just as heterosexual couples are, with all the rights and privileges that go with that institution. I do not believe that this will threaten traditional marriages in any way because there is no reason it should have any effect on them. If people are secure in their marriages and their relationships, these relationships should not be affected by what other people do. There is no justification for denying a same-sex couple the same rights and privileges as a heterosexual couple, e.g. visitation rights, inheritance rights, insurance benefits etc. If they live and work as a couple just as a heterosexual couple do, then why should they not have the same entitlements? What difference does it make what the sexual makeup of a couple is, as long as they function as a couple? Many gay relationships last longer than heterosexual relationships. The rate of divorce among heterosexual couples in America is close to 50 percent, so with so many heterosexual marriages br...