There are a variety of different opinions on whether gay and lesbian people in America should have the same rights as those that are straight. But the question is, why shouldn’t they? We are all human and we all should have equal rights. Giving more rights to someone who’s a little different than you, who likes someone of the same sex, won’t hurt you, your family, or your friends. Gays and lesbians are not given the chance to marry the people they’re truly in love with, adopt their own children, be on their partners insurance, taxation and inheritance rights, or even get the chance to say goodbye to their loved one that’s dying in the hospital because they’re treated as if they’re only friends.

Probably one of the biggest problems gays and lesbians face today, and what a majority of their problems face, is the right to marry their partner. People have argued that if Gay Marriage were to be legalized, the sanctity of marriage would be destroyed. But how would that be possible? Straight couples are allowed to get married on a whim even if they have only known each other a few days. Britney Spears married a man by the name of Jason Alexander in 2004. Their marriage lasted a whole 55 hours before she wanted to annul it because she called it a “mistake”. Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, has married 2 women and is now engaged to a third. Doesn’t this all actually ruin the sanctity of marriage? Marriage is supposed to be something special, but instead we have a ton of straight couples divorcing whenever they please. Why would a gay couple who have been together for many, many years ruin something like marriage? It’s obvious that they’re truly and insanely in love with one another. Some say that gay couples can’t have their own children so they shouldn’t be allowed to marry. If that were the case, then why should elderly couples who can’t reproduce anymore or infertile couples be allowed to marry since they can’t have their own children too? Some straight couples never even have any. The ability to desire or create children was never a rule before you get married.

Another issue would be that gay couples are not allowed to adopt their own children. In the US, there are over 100,000 children that are waiting to be adopted. People have argued that kids living with a same sex couple will make that child more prone to being gay as well. But there are many people that have grown up with straight parents and siblings, yet they still have turned out to be gay. There’s no factual evidence that gay couples turn people gay. Being gay is definitely not a little cold that when you sneeze you pass those germs to someone else and they become sick.

Lastly, a married couple gets taxation and inheritance rights. Meaning they can take out more taxes because they’re married to their partner. If that person were to die, then they would be able to get what they deserve out of what that couple had made together. Things like money, a house, and anything else that is in their possession. Since gay couples are not allowed to get married they don’t have this right. If their partner was in the hospital ill or dying, they wouldn’t have the same visitation rights as a straight married couple. Same goes for the insurance, they’re not allowed to be on the same one since they aren’t married. Gay couples should have taxation and inheritance rights like anyone else.

Despite the many different opinions about Gay Rights, there’s no denying that not letting gays have certain rights dehumanizes them. It gives the message that they’re not good enough for a little difference they have than what’s considered normal. Which in return promotes bullying for being gay. We’re all human and we all deserve to be treated equally no matter what differences we have.