LGBTQ rights are one of the most important issues worldwide. Also in America, changes toward positive responses on same-sex marriage are increasing.
Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to license same-sex marriages. In 2003, the Massachusetts supreme judicial court ruled that denying marriage rights to same-sex couples is a violation. Then, in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court judged that DOMA, The Defense of Marriage Act, which limited marriage to just men and women, was unconstitutional. These changes toward legalizing same-sex marriage spread gradually, and as a result in 2015, 38 states in the U.S. legalized same-sex marriage.
Legalization of same-sex marriage in all U.S. states was decided on June 26, 2015. Jim Obergefell decided to marry his partner, John, but the state of Ohio, where they were living, did not allow them. So they moved to Maryland where same-sex marriage is allowed. John died in October of the same year, but Jim could not sign his name on John’s death certificate. Thus, Jim sued all the states, asserting that they must issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the ban on same-sex marriage in all states, legalizing it in all 50 states, getting 5 out of 9 votes.
According to the online survey of the PEW Research Center in 2017, about 67% of Americans express their approval on the topic of same-sex marriage. Support for same-sex marriage has steadily risen, and it is at its highest point now. Based on generation, millennials are at the vanguard of supporting samesex marriage. They are in favor of same-sex marriage, at the highest rate of 74%.
Students in Boston University, Massachusetts, said that the legalization of same-sex marriage is quite proper, and they agree with it. John, majoring in fine arts, said that the motto of America is ‘E Pluribus Unum,’ which means ‘out of many, one’ in Latin. Based on this motto, Americans respect other people’s diversity and accept other people’s differences. America is a country marked by diversity, so sexual diversity must be respected by the government and the law. Jennifer, working at the Boston University cafeteria, said civil rights apply to everyone, including gay couples. Even though same-sex marriage may be a minority issue, the government must protect and accept them to create a society of diversity, which America is aiming for.
Yeon In-seo
[English Department,
17, Kyung Hee University]
