Gay Marriage

Gay Marriage Gay marriage is an important topic today. Many people oppose it, claiming it cheapens the concept of marriage. Traditionally, marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Further, by expanding marriage to include same sex couples, it opens the door for more changes, such as the legalization of polygamy and other alternative lifestyles. Of course, this is not necessarily the case. One could mandate that marriage is an institution that embraces the union of two individuals. Two people marry irrespective of gender, and then they have all the rights of married couples. Government did create laws to protect those who are legally married. Hence, the argument regarding gay marriage is more than just political. It involves economic considerations. Gay marriage appears to challenge traditional marriage but in some way, it supports marriage as an institution as it actually supports marriage as a norm (Egan, 2007). Indeed, there are political, social and economic ramifications for a society that to some extent condones living together without benefit of marriage. Many women today have babies before they decide whether or not they want to marry. This lifestyle choice threatens the sanctity of marriage perhaps more than does gay marriage. The point made by Egan (2007) in fact is that gay marriage supports the institution of marriage. Gay people are not shunning society. They want to be a part of it, and they further want approval. To that end, some gay people do not want marriage legalized for homosexuals. Bolte (1998) explains: " Many of those in the gay and lesbian rights movement who stand opposed to same