In the present or even before, Same Sex Gender relationship has already been an issue. Man to Man/Women to Women relationships, lesbianism and Same Sex Marriage has already been argued and talked about. But compared to other issues, Same Sex Marriage, a term used to describe a legally or socially recognized marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender, has become a one time big time argument. This has become a big controversy in some countries including the Philippines. This has been a topic in the Philippines because presently, the population of gay, bisexuals or whatever others call it is continuously increasing. Although this kind of marriage has already been approved in some countries, it is still not accepted and it remains a wide topic in the Philippines. With the issue “Same Sex Marriage,” ordinary people are always fond of asking questions and wondering about some how’s and why’s. Some of these hows and whys are the following: Why do these people can’t control their own feelings and just love other persons their opposite gender? How will the couple be if ever they get married? How will the adopted child cope with the environment wherein s/he had both men or both women as parents? Is their (gay/lesbian) relationship or love as strong like the love of a couple who has a man and a woman in a relationship? Is what they call love for real? Can we consider their love as true love which is needed before getting married? These questions are just some of the many questions that are bothering ordinary people.
Ordinary people especially Filipinos/Filipinas can’t help not to care about this topic, the marriage of two people with the same gender. These people have their own reactions, ideas or thoughts about this issue. Either they are for Same Sex Marriage or against Same Sex Marriage. Focusing on the side of the ‘for’ Same Sex Marriage position, this paper talks about some pros and cons of Same Sex Marriage.
These are some arguments that can support the ‘for’ Same Sex Marriage position. First, “Marriage is a union between two people who love each other.” There is really nothing stronger than love. Who says that love can only be felt between women to men or men to women only? Who can prohibit love anyway? If one person truly loves another person his/her own gender, can other people stop them for getting their relationship to a higher level? The ceremony of marriage is done between two people who love each other. Take note, two persons who love each other and not two people who have opposite genders. Marriage vows are promised by two people who love each other and are willing to be with their partner through better or worse; if two people with the same gender really feel that love and are willing to share their life with each other, why will some people stop them? It is like stopping love but then no one can stop love because love is indeed strong.
Second, “It doesn’t hurt society or anyone in particular.” These two innocent people loving one another who just want to make their love stronger by having their marriage ceremony do not hurt society or anyone in particular. For them being in love, being in a relationship and being married does not make people sick, does not bring flu and even kill people. The love they have should really have an effect on them, just them, the couple and not other people, so why care? People talk about this and make this their own problem. Somehow, people in a way are masochist thinking that there are many problems to think about like their own life, money or their own love life but instead of thinking solutions about their own problem, they still continue to create their own problem of arguing and thinking about these people (gay/lesbian) who want nothing but a peaceful life with one another.
Third, “Visitation rights for illness.” It is a fact that before a man and a woman gets married; the couple will go through some kind of a process regarding their health conditions or some tests to see if they are capable of producing healthy children. This process is needed to detect illnesses like AIDS, STD or some other more diseases that they can acquire during their single life, if ever they have. This is a long process and a not so healthy one because if these couple has neglected to take some health test and then for example, one of them has STD, then eventually, the partner will have the same illness without knowing earlier. And the STD population will increase and this is not healthy. However, if two people with the same sex have their rights to get married, the couple will not have any problems regarding their health status in terms of sexual interaction because there is no way that one of them can transmute the disease to the other. And there is a big possibility that the STD population has a probability not to increase that much.
Given some of the ‘for’ argument positions, there are also many arguments that are against Same Sex Marriage. One of which is the argument that says “Marriage is for raising children.” Children being raised by a father and a mother (man and women) grew up healthier physically, emotionally and spiritually. They will have the usual family background and will live a simple, normal and easy life. The children will have the opportunity to be cared and helped by his/her real mother. The child does not have any questions when s/he grows up because s/he has grown up normally together with the usual family type.
Though the latter argument is undeniably correct, there are also some true arguments against this. One given argument against the argument is “What makes the difference is the love of the parents; not their gender.” Raising up a child in a healthy way can’t be argued with when the topic is gender because one’s gender does not have any effect on the child. Not because the child’s parents is assumingly both men and women means that the child will not be raised normally. Having a healthy child raised is an issue of love and only love. It is never and never will be about gender.
This paper has stated the pros and cons of the issue about Same Sex Marriage. In summary, the following are some effective arguments that are ‘for’ or Pro Same Sex Marriage: Firstly, Marriage is a union between two people who love each other. Secondly, it doesn’t hurt society or anyone in particular. Thirdly is the argument about visitation rights for illness. Given these arguments, fairness should be stocked in the readers’ mind now. These people do not need others’ cruelty; do not need you to care.
In conclusion, Same Sex Marriage is healthy, won’t kill, won’t hurt, won’t make you sick, and won’t give people problem. It is not asking people to care, to give donations, and to pay tax. Everyone has his own rights, even bisexuals, even transgenders, even gays, even lesbians. They need acceptance, not cruelty, not discrimination.
