Pride and Equality

       Submitted by Umajah E.

          The debate about legalizing gay marriage has become increasingly popular this year. More gay an lesbian couples are fighting for their right to be legally married. Anyone can get on a plane and get hitched in Vegas. That may be easier but those marriages are not recognized through the U.S. To gay and lesbian couples, getting married in Vegas is like sneaking around. Instead of a quick 30 minute wedding they want a long elaborate service where their family and friends can attend. We live in a world where "nuclear families" no longer exist. In the article "Gay Marriage" by Steven Seidman, he stated that individuals are not getting married because finances, but because they are in love and want to spend their lives together. Civil Unions and domestic partnerships only allow gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual people to benefit from certain rights. They cannot have joined bank account,they have a hard time getting their partners life insurance policy, and most and fore most, their civil union or domestic partnership in not recognized in other states.Opponents of same sex marriage argue that gays and lesbians are psychologically and morally unable to form a stable marriage. Social scientific research has proved this argument as false. Gays and lesbians form the strongest bonds and unions. Statistics show that they sat married longer than straight couples do. In Seidman's article he says, "If marriage is about equal individuals forging an intimate, loving, mutually committed relationship, then gender of the partners should be irrelevant". Sexual orientation and behavior should not determine whether or not a person should be married. It is unfair and it goes against our amendments and our rights. Allowing gays to marry with strengthen the idea of marriage.

          In this day and age there are more than two genders, there are male, females, and intersexed individuals. Intersexed individuals are people who are born with external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and/or endocrine system that are different from most other people. When babies are born this way it is viewed as a medical and social emergency. This is only an emergency because these babies do not fit into our two socially constructed genders. Because of this, doctors immediately operate on these infants before they or their parents can allow their consent. By operating so quickly doctors don't get to see if the condition will cure itself. Being intersexed is not a life or death situation. If you follow the link (http://youtu.be/AoYo9Syc8g4) you"ll be able  to see an individual that was born intersexed. "Judy" was raised as a women and later got married. She eventually met a woman who she was madly in love with. For years they lived as a lesbian couple but as time progresses her body started stared to change. In conclusion, it took "Judy" four years and many surgeries ad medications to become "Max". Being intersexed needs to recognized as a new identity among individuals now. These people are not freaks or monsters in anyway. Variation is a normal aspect of everyday life. Its as normal as breathing. Homosexuality has proven to be a human construct. Who says what is gay or straight? Animals for instance have intersexed bodies. Animals perform homosexual activity without knowing its homosexual behavior. They simply do what feels right to them. In the Middle Sexes videos, it explains how certain environments produce homosexual behavior. In Indian societies males and females do not have access to each other. They cannot hang out or even talk to each other. This leads to male bonding at weddings, secret male relationships, and living double lives. Males are forced into marriages but still pursue their relationships with their male partners. Some even go as far as to have operations done. Mid-wives perform "rebirths" which are now illegal in India. They have no time to be themselves, they have to conform.

     Diversity is made out to be a shameful thing in society. In the report 50 under 30: Masculinity and the War on America's Youth, 50 individuals ranging from the ages of 15 and 30 were brutally murdered because they were different. These victims were stabbed, shot, burned, strangled, hit by cars, beaten, and had their throats cuts. They were killed because their true identities were found out. They were harassed constantly and some even had to stop working or going to school. The killers were all male and around the same age as their victims. They were not use to people being different. Most of these brutal murders have not been solved. They wanted them to conform and be "normal" people. From personal experience I have found out that no one is normal. Everyone is unique and has their own way of living. What if we were killed and harassed for being straight? Would our murders be solved any faster? Its unfair that people have to die just to be themselves.