Arguing Both Sides- Gay Marriage

The issue of gay marriage stirs up controversy, which makes it a national problem. Although some states, and many people, now accept gay marriage, gays still face many obstacles. Now that gay marriage Is allowed, the fight to legalize gay adoption grows. Even though the Idea of gay couples has become more accepted across the united States, gays adopting children remains a major controversial Issue. Occurring since American colonial times, adoption provides children for childless couples. Back then, adoptive parents were protected from dealing with infertility and acing the differences between being a parent through adoption versus being a parent by birth. Objections to adoption did not exist during colonial times as long as adoptive parents provided care and support for the child. Therefore, parents who properly care for adopted children were assured no judgment or speculation would rise. The primary objection to gay adoption today is that it goes against nature, which says the primary caregivers for children should be the man and woman who created the child. In cases where a child constantly switches to dfferent foster homes as pposed to a stable home run by a gay Individual or couple, a caring person must choose the latter. The only method of conception for human beings requires Involvement of both a male and a female. Gays and Infertile heterosexual couples turn to child adoption when wanting to start a family. Opposers of gay adoption believe that marriage without the potential to reproduce is a sin. Discriminants think that if you cannot reproduce naturally, you are not meant to have children. People against gays refer to the bible which says a man will be united to his wife. However, God created gays as well and anti-discrimination laws declare that gays and heterosexuals should be treated equally. As stated in the Declaration of Independence, all men are created equal. Adoption means to legally bring someone into your family and raise them like you would your own child. Adopting a child involves the creation of a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. A childs best interests are the most Important factors considered during adoption. The type of person allowed to adopt children, however, continues to cause heated debates. In the essay Counterpoint: In Defense of Gay and Lesbian Parents, John Pearson provides support for gay couples wanting to be parents. Pearson is a novelist who was educated at Kings College School. The essay Point: Children Suffer with Same-Sex Couples, written by Lynn-nore Chittom and co-written by Geraldine Wagner, opposes what Pearson supports about gay adoption. Chittom is a self-employed freelance writer. Wagner is a graduate of the State university of New York at Fredonia, teaching sociology and technical and professional writing. Pearson states, A huge number of Americans that might make excellent parents are being enied the legal right to adopt (Pearson, par. 5). There are many different types of families In the United States. Some examples are as follows: step families, single parent families, and adoptive families and so on. Therefore, Pearson wonders why heterosexual families and Individuals should be thought to be able to provide better care and surroundings for a child than a gay or lesbian couple. Nearly 520,000 children await adoption in foster care, but each year only 50,000 find permanent adoption by gays could potentially raise the number of children who find a home. When making a decision on adoption, Pearson believes aspects like a familys lifestyle and ability to care for a child should be more important than the sexual preference of who wants to adopt the child (Pearson, par. ). On the flip side of the argument, Chittom talks about how children are best reared in environments with both a mother and a father, referring to the Fifth Amendment which clearly states Honor your father and your mother. (Chittom, par. 4). However, many gay couples form more stable relationships than heterosexual couples. Pearson opposes Chittom with he idea gays may be even better at child-rearing because gays are n ot raising a child conceived on accident, but rather one fought to obtain. Opposers of gay marriage strongly believe gay partners cannot care for a child as well as heterosexual partners. Meanwhile, activists strongly believe gay partners are able to care for a child Just as well, or even better than heterosexual partners. Whereas, sociologists and psychologists question whether or not children exposed to only one gender will be raised with a balanced understanding of gender roles and personal gender identity Chittom, par. 6). Children with a single heterosexual parent face the same situation. Even so, some argue children raised in a family with parents of only one sex are more likely to become gay when older. Gay adoption puts children who are already compromised from their experience in the foster care system at even greater risk of trauma (Chittom, par. 1). Pearson maintains there is nothing to support that children being raised in a loving family are harmed in any way by their parents sexual orientation. Pearson believes no child should be denied a home Just because of the exual orientation of the parents wanting to adopt.