Gay Marriage: Progay vs. Anti-gay

For many years, homosexuals have made great impacts on history; they’ve fought it wars, written some of the world’s best poetry, and have even made laws as politicians. Although homosexuals have done things to change the world as we currently see it, they aren’t given the same opportunities as heterosexuals. Homosexuals have fought for so long for the few rights that they have, but the most significant rhetorical war in which homosexuals must battle, is the war of same sex marriage.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, marriage is defined as the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex and husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship (196). If you continue to read, the second definition of marriage is the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage (Webster-Merriam, 196). With this said, it would be believed that same sex marriage wouldn’t be an issue, since it is universally defined by a well known and trusted source. Unfortunately, this generalization is not true for everyone. To some, gay marriage goes against everything that a family is supposed to be. They believe that marriage between two people of the same sex is not sacred, such as traditional weddings consisting of one man and one woman. People with this set of beliefs are considered antigay. Others believe that love is love, and if two women or two men want to be joined in marriage it should be so. People with these beliefs are considered progay. These two groups don’t share many of the same ideas, which is why the argument of the acceptance of gay marriage in society continues to grow thick. Antigay and progays continue to argue their sides, but have yet to come to a unanimous conclusion.

Generally, the progay position is framed as a struggle against discrimination, the need for tolerance, and the inalienable right of gay and lesbian citizens to equal protection under the law (Smith, 155). Although this has been the case for many gay rights, it was recently that same sex marriage became a public argument. For years, antigay initiatives have been place on local and state ballots throughout the United States. The main goal of this was to forbid the governments from protecting the civil rights of lesbians and gay men (Smith, 156). Progays, believing that they should have the exact same rights as any antigay, or any other classification have began to rise up against this and this is when the dispute become more public, rising to the fourth widely publicized and broadly disputed subject as far as gay rights are concerned.
To both traditionalists, or antigays, and progay advocates, gay marriage is a singularly important issue; a public policy question which both side could advantageously target.(Smith, 157)

Antigays believe that the family “is an important symbolic territory because the social arrangements and relationship found there are very much a microcosm of those in the larger social order” (Smith, 157). More particularly, marriage exclusively between a male and female is non-negotiable. They believe that there must be continuity between the public and private spheres, so that status, hierarchy, and power are understood in the same way in both family and society.

On the other side, the gay/lesbian challenge provides an injustice frame which can be used to mobilize adherents. Bringing the possibility of gay marriage into the public area forces the sponsors of the existing hegemonic frame to defend their assumptions that marriage is only meant for a man and woman. The public arena forces the sponsors of the existing hegemonic frame to defend their assumptions. The “sheer existence of a symbolic contest is evidence of the breakdown of hegemony and a major accomplishment for the challenger” (Smith, 158). They believe that man and man, and woman and woman, have the same goals, values and morals of the “traditional” family, and that they should be treated as such (Smith, 158).

Antigays are also biased because they do not understand what homosexuality really is. In the eyes of an antigay person, homosexuals are shallow and uncommitted (Smith, 12). They believe that homosexuals are unable to maintain lengthy relationships. They also believe that most gays are rude and immature, and publicly don’t have any morals or values (Smith, 12) Because of these generalizations and assumptions, it is believed that a same sex marriage would just fail in the long run, therefore, shouldn’t be allowed in the first place.

Progays argue against this with much force. While some homosexuals, like heterosexuals font always make very good decisions, they shouldn’t be placed into a category because antigays don’t want them to have the same rights. In other countries, same sex marriages have been legal for years, and the relationships have lasted just as long, if not longer than the heterosexual relationships.
Much of the controversy is simply based upon people’s personal beliefs, and gays not being provided with the same rights as a heterosexual, but this also becomes spiritual. Antigays as well as Christians do not believe that homosexuality is inappropriate. They believe that homosexuality is a deviance of God’s “norm”; that it is neither normal nor healthy behavior. They believe that if same sex marriage is entertained for too much longer, marriages will “no longer stand on biblical ground against the unequivocal witness of Scripture and would thereby cease to be holy.” (Carter)

Progays argue that homosexuality is not a sin, and that same sex relationships can be found throughout the bible, thus giving evidence that it is natural (Carter). It is also argued that the discussions of homosexuality in the bible, specifically those of Paul in the book of Romans, do not support the common modern interpretation of the passage. Progays feel that Paul failed to actually say that homosexuality was a sin of God, but instead a sin of nature.

Progays and antigays will continue to fight the quiet battle of homosexual marriage. While it appears as if this could be an unending battle, both parties introduce great evidence to back up their beliefs regardless of if they believe same sex marriage is appropriate or not. But, there is a large disadvantage on the side of the progays; many politicians are antigay, and continue to fight to have same sex marriage banned in all possible states, while there are not that many antigays in high places to stand against this behavior at all (Mohr, 171). Soon this battle becomes one of those with power and those without, Christians and gentiles, and it is no longer considered a battle of what should be accept and what shouldn’t but instead a disagreement of beliefs. This is unfair because it allows room for much bias. Many people today are traditionalists. It was only recently that so many people felt that they should rise up against this hatred and intolerance towards same sex marriage.

By definition, same sex marriage is not wrong, nor is it considered “morally incorrect” as believed by the antigays. A more professional definition of marriage, as defined by Robert Blood, is a personal relationship between partners (6). While this is only the essence of marriage, Blood goes on to state that a good marriage includes compatibility, skill, effort and support (11). Marriage is not only a relationship between a person and their significant other, but should be a personal relationship as well (15). By the definition of Robert Blood, as well as the dictionary definition, nowhere is it stated that marriage is simply between a man and a woman. There is no hardcore evidence that shows that marriage is defiled or wrong if two partners of the same sex were to marry. The battle of gay marriage, though pointless, continues to exist.