Discrimination against same sex married couples



Discrimination against same sex married couples

Introduction

Since the beginning of civilization, same-sex marriages have been recorded. These unions took place in several forms comprising, unsanctioned, informal and ceremonial marriages. The acceptance of same-sex marriages altered to intolerance with the rise of Christianity, therefore, these same-sex marriages became a taboo for thousands of years, except in a few cases. The United States has a history of opposed viewpoints concerning same-sex marriage. The legality or validity of same-sex marriages did not appear to the mainstream until the 1970s. Letting a group enjoy all the social and legal benefits of marriage, including the right to use the word married, on the other hand another group is forbidden from enjoying the rights is completely discriminatory. As it would be discriminatory to ban marriage on other basis, it would be equally discriminatory to ban marriage on the grounds of gender.

Looking from another perspective, an economy that discriminates against a group in its community or society is devaluating the human capital of the group. In the year 2004, the United States General Accounting Office reported that marriage granted 1138 federal benefits, privileges and rights to the opposite gender married couples, but refused the same rights to the same sex couples. This difference of treatment could be clearly perceived by the same sex couples in a way that they are not viewed equally, and they are somehow less valuable in one way or the other in the society they are living in. Several studies have shown that constant discrimination changes the behavior of people, and they might start reacting in different ways. If a particular group in the society is repeatedly told they are not equally valuable, there are chances for them to be less ambitious, and perform less efficiently in the workplace or academically. This ultimately reduces the human capital of the economy it would have had otherwise.

Discussion

Same sex marriages

At the time when marriage takes place, peopleparticularly make an announcement and statement of commitment in front of the bystanders. Several people getting married perceive this statement as an essential part of their life. This statement is further perceived as concerning an answering statement on the part of society (Ahmed, 2013).

The marriages between same-sex have been under a national spotlight in the US since 1990s. The federal government has been deferring the matter, but in the year 1996, congress conceded the (DOMA) Defense of Marriage Act, approved by the President. The Act described marriage only as a union between a woman and a man, and so rejecting federal marriage benefits provided to the same-sex couples, comprising of access to retirement, and healthcare of federal employees and veterans. On the other hand, in the year 2013 the Supreme Court put down important parts of the Act which limited the classification of marriage to couples of opposite-sex, thus expanding federal benefits to married couples of same-sex. Simultaneously, the high court upheld stipulation of Defense of Marriage Act, which said that states are not required to recognize same-sex unions performed in other jurisdictions.

In the United States, same-sex marriages were not legal anywhere when Defense ...