Written by Douglas Mefford in Family
Viewed by 165 readers since 05-06-2009

While the preponderance of scientific research has begun to show that homosexuality is a normal aspect of biological causation, the religiously influenced societies of the world still refuse to accept these findings. It thus still creates a great many obstacles for those who find that their attraction is for another human of the same gender. Some small successes have been made in recent years to legitimize this form of human love but there are still great changes in the archaic social order to overcome. While not totally inclusive, here follows a few of the good points as well as negative influences surrounding the instituting of same-sex marriage as a legitimate option for partnerships.

While a few of the states in the United States have begun to allow same-sex partnerships and marriages, the federal government still does not acknowledge them as real. Thus a massive amount of negative situations still afflict those who have joined in a state approved same-sex marriage. Various tax rules come into play when determining a person’s marital status. If same-sex couples are not given legitimacy then they can both be charged the higher, single person income tax rate. Inheritance taxes are only waived for those legally married. Medicaid and Social Security benefits to married couples are denied those who are in a same-sex union since the federal government refuses to accept the partnership.

Allowing same-sex marriages can provide guarantees of many important human relationship privileges. Situations such as medical emergencies often require a spouse’s consent for critical and emergency treatments. Without acknowledging a couple’s relationship, even long-term one’s, the victim’s partner can even be denied admittance to visit their partner, much less be allowed to make vital medical decisions for the person they have joined their life with.

There is the matter of children to consider with the possibility of same-sex marriages. Since these relationships, by nature, eliminate the possibility of normal procreation there will not be a shared biological offspring. However, there should be an increase in the adoption of the many abandoned, abused and orphaned children in the world. Regardless of the religious bias against same-sex unions, there is no indication of any less love and stability in a same-sex relationship than in the average heterosexual coupling either.

There are indications that, to the contrary, a same-sex couple may be more consciously aware and able to provide a stable home base for a child than many who merely accept and live by the status quo. There have been studies that indicate that it is biology, not environment, that sets a person’s sexual preference so being raised by a same-sex couple does not significantly increase the potential of a child becoming homosexual.

Probably the greatest drawback to same-sex marriages is the blatant and often unconsidered discrimination and denial of human rights to same-sex couples. Religious and civil marriages should be kept separate as there is supposed to be a separation of church and state in this country. That there is a continued religious influence on what should be completely secular institutions merely emphasizes the problems that anyone, not just same-sex couples, can have when they diverge from the tenants of the religious norm.

There is an indication that the stresses of a same-sex union can cause a shortening of the average life span. What should be taken into consideration is that the refusal to accept such relationships as normal and the subsequent pressures society places on same-sex couples cause the stress that can shorten life and diminish the quality of it.