Same-Sex marriage: A threat to healthy child development - Essay Example

Homosexuals experience rejection and negative attitudes from those around them who are not inclined that way (Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo 459). Hence, gays and lesbians are not able to participate openly in many social programs and institutions. The strongest opposition that same sex couples experience is in the aspect of parenting. This is because it is considered that same sex couples are incapable of raising a child to an acceptable state. According to Peterson, many years of research has discovered that the development and adjustment level of children who have homosexual parents is equal to children of heterosexual parents (Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo 459).

However, there are many legal, social, personal, religious, and professional issues that raise problems in the path of homosexual couples establishing families. The major problem they face is in convincing people that they are capable of raising children in a healthy and positive way. Nevertheless, even though studies have proven that homosexual couples can raise children in just the same way as heterosexual couples, it has also been discovered that children of homosexual couples do not develop integrated personalities due to lack of role models of both sexes.

Children who are raised in homosexual households either get influenced by all male qualities or all female qualities. Hence, to raise healthy and happy children, it is very crucial for homosexual couples to understand how children develop healthily—by providing them with both male and female role models in order to give a balance. Obstacles in Family Development Social laws and regulations were made for the purpose of allowing human development and life to be as trouble-free as possible. However, when a small portion of society acts against what is accepted as nature and social laws, it is inevitable that they will face difficulties and resistance those who are around them.

It is a natural human tendency to be against any form of change because it is normal to feel safe in current surroundings. The battle between homosexuals and the rest of society is no different. Homosexual people are experiencing resistance and rejection from other people and their governments for the very reason that their sexual orientation goes against what is accepted as natural and thus indigestible by those who are around them. It is a sad fact that the strongest reason why homosexuals face in being legally allowed to form families is resistance from the government.

Legal Problems A family is formed when two adults get into a serious relationship and commit themselves to a lifelong relationship together. Also, they show loyalty and responsibility towards each other by getting married. Marriage is considered a pure union and thus the couple is allowed to have babies and start their own family. However, this same union is not possible for homosexuals because their union is deviant and does not follow the law of nature. This is the primary reason why same-sex marriage is not considered legal by the U.S. government (Andryszewski 8).

Same-sex marriage was first allowed in the state of Massachusetts in 2004. However, many states in the U.S. do not legally recognize same-sex marriages that take place in Massachusetts (Andryszewski 8). Other countries such as Spain, Canada, Belgium, The Netherlands, and many more have given legal recognition to same-sex marriage (Cantor