Gay and Lesbian Rights to Marriage

Gay and Lesbian Rights to Marriage

Gay Rights as an Ethical Issue Francesca Barela SOC 120 Joe Niehaus February 21st, 2009 Introduction The rights that most gay and lesbian couples are asking for is just to receive the same rights that straight couples have. “_Same sex couples in the United States repeatedly identify the ban on marriage as the source of their exclusion from laws governing important matters such as retirement and death benefits, healthcare access and decision making...”_ (Polikoff, N., pg. 111, 2008) Though California and other states have codes that protect the rights of Domestic Partnerships and Civil Unions, not all are upheld in all states. It is up to each state to enforce their own laws when it pertains to these issues. When campaigning for Prop 8, there was a commercial that stated children in schools will be taught about gay marriage. The commercial said that California schools without a doubt would be teaching gay marriage in classrooms if Prop 8 did not pass. (Yes on 8) This was misleading and incorrect. Hilary McLean, a spokeswoman for state Superintendent Jack O’Connel, said this, “Schools are not required to talk about marriage at all... The code only instructs schools to “teach respect for marriage and committed relationships” as part of health and sex education curriculum. The code allows districts to decide against teaching health and sex education, and allows parents to pull their children from those classes or others dealing with sensitive subject matters.” (McLean, 2008) When I was in school here in California, my mother had to sign a release form so that I could attend the class, “Sex Ed”. Without this signed consent form the other six grade students were not allowed to attend the class. The only other state in America that passed legislation that allows same sex marriage is Massachusetts. “Since November, 2003 the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that the state’s ban on same sex marriage violated the state’s constitution and that civil marriage must be...

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