Should gay marriage be legalized?
VIEW:
The most common argument against allowing gays to marry seems to be that we need to protect the institution of marriage. This argument is ridiculous for many reasons. While the main reason people in the India seem to get married is out of love, it is by no means the only reason.
There are people who marry for money, non-sexual companionship, even health insurance, do these reasons also threaten the institution of marriage? Furthermore, we have to look at marriage historically. For many years a wife was considered the property of her husband. For generations, royal families would marry their children off for diplomatic reasons, even "lower class" families would marry their daughters off to wealthy and/or powerful families so that they may reap the benefits. Many countries still have arranged marriages. To me, it appears that marriage is not exactly as "sacred" an institution as some would like to think.
Another argument against same-sex marriage is that we need to "protect" our children. Are we worried that letting homosexual people get married will, in turn, convert their children? If we are talking about the children of a gay couple whether through adoption (that is a whole other issue), artificial insemination, surrogacy, or the old-fashioned way; then would it not be more beneficial for these children to have a married couple as parents, particularly for legal reasons? Some may say that the "ideal" situation for children to be raised in is a loving mother and father. While this may not be wrong, it is not reality. It would be great if everyone had a loving mother and father, but how many children are being raised by single parents because one parent took off, or have a mother and father but are neglected or abused? It seems absurd to even suggest that it would be more beneficial for a child to be raised in an abusive home over that of a loving same-sex couple.
Practically all of the arguments against gay marriage come back to the issue of religion. Many extremely religious conservatives like to remind us that there is freedom of religion in this country, but some do not seem to understand that freedom of religion does not mean everybody conforming to your own personal religious beliefs. Some will say that since gay marriage is against their religious beliefs it is a violation of their freedom of religion.
The same argument can be made for homosexuals, though. We are all entitled to our own beliefs, but we should not expect everybody else to conform to them. Same sex marriage has no logical impact on the everyday lives of religious conservatives, but religious conservatives denying same-sex couples the right to marry does have a direct impact on the everyday lives of homosexuals.
The whole argument really comes down to letting consenting adults do as they wish, provided they are not hurting anybody, and keeping our beliefs out of the lives of others, just as we expect for ourselves. Homosexuals getting married really has no effect on anybody but themselves.
- Avish Crasta
1BBA ‘A’
COUNTER VIEW:
As the world's oldest democracy legalizes gay marriage nationwide, it is time for the world's largest democracy to perform some much-needed introspection - are we, as a people, society, and country ready to legalize gay marriage?
Unfortunately, the answer is no.
The problem isn't the Indian judiciary. I personally believe that, barring a few decisions (including Section 377), the Indian judiciary is, by far, India's most forward-looking institution, easily beating even Narendra Modi in terms of progressiveness and liberalism
There are several points to prove my thoughts right.
It is a well-known fact that the same – sex couples will not be able to reproduce their own kids and this would bring down their family generation. Having a kid of your own is an integral part of the marriage systems and the society.
A child needs both a mother as well as a father. Children who are raised without a mother are deprived of the emotional safety. Children who are raised by same – sex parents face more difficulties rather than the normal kids.
According to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom, marriage is not a right but a privilege. The society should oppose the people marrying from the same sex. Marriage is a traditional concept which takes place between a man and a woman.
The same – sex marriages weaken the institution of marriage. India is a country where the traditions are followed since time immemorial. In India, the institution of marriage is defined as a process which takes place between a man and woman.
The same-sex marriages are considered to be immoral in most parts of the world including India. Around 50% of the people who have undertaken the activity of homosexuality, know that what they are doing is immoral and unnatural. Marriage is considered to be pure and homosexual people tend to break that concept. The majority of the people in North America consider same – sex marriages as a sin.
Few religious texts like Quran also go against the concept of same – sex marriage. Quran has a saying that when a man mounts another man, the throne of the God shakes. The scriptures also consider the lesbian intercourse as an unlawful intercourse. No ideologies have been created which deletes the concept of a man marrying a woman.
With Ireland legalizing the concept of same – sex marriage, we hope that few other countries would also join this ideology. There are still many orthodox countries which shut their door to the idea of same – sex relations. Apart from legal, there are many moral and social aspects of same-sex relationships. In the near future, India might support the concept of same – sex marriages.
- Anto Sajosh Poovelikunnel
1 BBA ‘A’
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