The argument over gay rights has been a hot social issue for many years and will continue to stir up debates for many more years to come. To many people the issue of gay rights is not just about whom they can marry or have children with; it comes down to a matter of basic human rights. In the article “A Gay Agenda for Everyone”, author Dan Savage makes note of the uphill battle that faces gay rights activists. With a new Republican majority in the House it is going to be harder than ever to get support on any gay rights legislature. Mr. Savage goes on to say that he believes “Gay Americans are eventually going to win on marriage just like we won on military service…”
Sociological imagination is the ability to see how issues on an individual level can affect the larger societal level. To do this, an observer needs to be unbiased and be able to view the society as an outsider. This is very important because it lets people view issues not on a personal level but how they affect the society as a whole. When it comes to gay rights, sociological imagination can be tricky. You not only have to leave your cultural biases behind, but also your religious biases. This type of thinking would make a person look not at how gay rights affect a homosexual individual but how gay rights affect all the individuals and families in that society. Because of its controversy of moral values, gay rights is a social issue not just in the U.S. but in many other countries around the world.
Functionalists view society as a complex system of individuals and groups who work together to create a structured and stable environment. Every interrelated part must contribute to keep the society functioning as a whole. Anything outside of this typical social structure is deemed problematic and dysfunctional. Functionalists also believe in manifest and latent functions. Manifest functions are recognized and intended consequences whether they be positive or negative. However, latent functions...