Running head: COMMUNITY PROBLEM REPORT: CIVIL GAY RIGHTS

Community Problem Report: Civil Gay Rights

Andrea Fraire
University of Texas at El Paso Texas

Community Problem Report: Civil Gay Rights

Abstract
Same sex marriage is a community problem that has been going on for decades now but is now
taking more of a toll with our newest generation. Many believe it to be a distraction to the real
definition of marriage and its teachings while many others want equality and not be known as a
second class citizen. With the research included this paper will be showing the reader many
prospectives people have on gay marriage. For example, the meaning of marriage, how will gay
marriage affect our society, how it will we benefit from it, and should these rights exist. The
purpose of these factors is to inform the reader of how big the problem of same sex marriage
rights is becoming a community problem.

Community Problem Report: Civil Gay Rights

When we think of marriage its about marrying your significant other, but what happens if
that significant other is the same sex? With many different view points on this situation it has
started a controversy in our community allowing to grow into more of a problem. With more
than half the states legalizing gay marriage and the other 13 states resisting to change, religious
controversies are added to create an even bigger problem. With religious views in the way of
others some are not able to see what love gay marriages have for each other. Some think of it as a
mistake but some see it as a blessing.
Understanding the definition of marriage
To be able to understand the definition of marriage one must be acknowledgeable to the
topic and what it may mean to others. According to Monsma the definition of marriage is thereis
notonedefinitionofmarriagetofitallcultures (Monsma,2014).Theywanttoletthecommunityknow
thatineveryreligiontherewillbedifferentmeaningstothewordmarriagethatonecannotbecertainto
defineit.Believingthatthevisionofmarriagehaschangedbeforeinthepastbutwonderingwhyitcant
bechangednow.Althoughitisadifferentstorytothosewhooppose.Brennanstatesinhisarticle
..churchesdonotallowsamesexmarriagesbutdonottreatthemanydifferent (Brennan,

2011).Asbeingpartofthechurchtheyhavetheirownvaluestolookatbutalsohaveavalueof
forgivenesswhichmakesthemnonresentfultowardshomosexuals,butalsobecausetheyfear
thelackofcommitmenttothereligion.Itwillbeuptomanyonhowtheyinterpretthedefinition
ofmarriagebutinordertodefenditonemustbeknowledgeabletoit.
Do we benefit from it?
To every side of a topic or discussion there are opposing sides. half will want what is best
fro others and the other half will stick to originality. Which is why same sex marriage is so hard

Community Problem Report: Civil Gay Rights

to be accepted by some. According to the author Lee Badgett, there are far more many benefits
that will outcome from this. Stating some examples, Our research shows that same-sex
weddings injected significant spending into local economies(Badgett,2012). With same sex
couples being able to marry, allowing the spending cost in the wedding industry to rise. Although
the spending cost in same sex marriage states has risen others still oppose to see it other than
beneficial. What they believe to see is homosexuals wanting the rights to marry only to receive
the benefits. Brennan states in his article People should not have their tax dollars used to support
something they believe is wrong (Brennan,2014). While gay marriage rights are uprising the
cost in social security, inheritance taxes, and federal employee benefits are rising as well. With
the cost of taxes rising of course there will be an opposing side but how they deal with it will
reflect on the outcome.
Does gay marriage affect our society?
Many are easily influenced by what they see whether they understand the concept or not.
Making any conflict presented to society known, but how they interpret it is based on their
background. With gay marriage being presented in a bigger way now more than ever, people are
accepting while others stick to their religion. Those who oppose see gay marriage as a threat to
those not capable to comprehend. Tony Perkins states children who are raised with homosexual
parents are more likely to morn or wonder what happened to the other parent, Mommy, what did
you do with my daddy (Perkins,2010). The opposing side sees it as a undercut to the norm of
marriage. Although some believe it to be affecting our society others tend to believe it only
helps. Krimmer states Departmentoflaborrightswillbegiventothemallowingthemprivate
retirementplansandhealthcoverage.Withmorebenefitsbeingpresentedtothegaysalso

Community Problem Report: Civil Gay Rights

comestheintroductionoftheresidencerule (Krimmer,2014).Manybenefitswillbepresented
tohomosexualswhichwillonlybebeneficialtothem.
Should these rights exist?
Some being not convinced by the new policies granted to the homosexuals creating an
even bigger problem makes us question if these policies should exist. Those who oppose are in
defense that thereisnodifferencebetweencivilmarriageandreligiousmarriageduetothefactpeople
stillseecivilmarriageandtraditional.Believingtraditionalmarriageisbetweenamanandawomanwho
areabletoconceiveachild.DuringadebateDennisPragerstatesIfyouacknowledgethatmenand
womanareprofoundlydifferent,thatamothercangivesomethingtoachildthatnotwomencangive.
Thatamancangivetoachildsomethingnotwowomancangive,thenyouwanttoretainmarriageas
specificallymaleandfemale (Hengler,2009).Pragerindefensewithmanyothersseethepoliciesas
traditionandseenoneedtochangethem.Whiletothosewhoareforgaymarriageseethathomosexuals
shouldbetreatedequally.Intheirdefensetheserightsaretheonlythingtheycanlookforwardto.Stated
byPresidentObamainaninterviewitwouldbesomethingthatwouldgivepeoplerightsandother
elementswetakeforgranted (News,2012).WithObamasinterviewhesentamessagethatwhy
shouldn'ttheygettheserightsgiventothemwhenweourselvesrarelypayattentiontothem.Thosewho
agreewillstateitwillhelpstopdiscriminationandstopbeingturneddownbecauseofwhattheybelieve
loveis.Nomatterwhatthecaseistherewillalwaysbetwosidestoeverystorybutitsuptoyouto
decidewhatsideyouchoose.
Gaymarriagewillalwaysbeanissueaslongasreligionwillliveon.Therewillalwaysbetwo
sidesbutbothwillneverfullyhavewhattheywant.Onecanonlyfightforsolongbecauseintheenditis
uptothegovernmenttomakethosedecisions.Althoughsomemaythinkitismorallywrongotherare
finallyhavingachancetolivethelivesthey'vealwayswanted.

Community Problem Report: Civil Gay Rights

References
Badgett,L.(2012,March6).Gaymarriagegoodforfamilyandeconomy.RetrievedMarch5,
2015,fromhttp://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/opeds-and-commentary/gaymarriage-good-for-family-and-economy/

Brennan,F.(2011).Gaymarriagedebatehasalongwaytogo.EurekaStreet,21(24),6466.
Fausset,R.(2015,January28).Statesrenewfighttostopsamesexmarriage. TheNewYork
Times.RetrievedMarch10,2015,from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/us/battles
oversamesexmarriageroilstatehousesaheadofsupremecourtsdecision.html
Hengler,G.(2009,April21).DennisPragerDebatesPerezHiltonOnSameSexMarriage.Retrieved
March5,2015,fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTE9zWaQc_Y

Krimmer,C.(2014,January1).WisconsinLawyer.Solutions:FederalBenefitsforMarried
SamesexCouples.Retrievedfrom
http://www.wisbar.org/newspublications/wisconsinlawyer/pages/article.aspx?
Volume=87&Issue=1&ArticleID=11280
Monsma,S.(2014).(Re)DefiningMarriage:ChangesandChallenges.JournalForTheSociological
IntegrationOfReligion&Society,4(1),2332.

News,A.(2012,May9).PresidentObamaGayMarriage:Gaycouplesshouldbeabletoget
married'ABCnewsexclusive.RetrievedMarch5,2015,from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGMTPab9GQ
Perkins,T.(2010,April1).FamilyResearchCouncil.RetrievedMarch8,2015,from
http://www.frc.org/brochure/thetoptenharmsofsamesexmarriage