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Originally Posted by alansmithee
Marriage, and the benefits that come with it, are (as far as the government is concerned) for ensuring that a child can be raised in as stable environment as possible by the child's biological parents. This was the argument (and judgement) in a recent case in Florida. I posted the link in another of my posts. Homosexual couples cannot produce children, that's not "bigotry" or me enforcing moralism on others, it's biological fact. That's why a man cannot marry a man, or a woman a women (at least in most states). Most of the things that come with marriage ARE allowed to gay couples, just not in the form of marriage. The ones that aren't are those that benefit a family, and help support the raising of children.
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Homosexual couples cannot produce children that are the biological offspring of both parents, true, but the same is true of many heterosexual couples. Children are, however, often born into or adopted into families headed by a homosexual couple, just as children are born into or adopted by infertile couples. If the purpose of marriage is to provide a stable environment for the rearing of children, denying homosexual parents the right to marry is antithetical to that purpose, and is harming the children of homosexuals for the purpose of punishing their parents. Marriage laws either are in place to protect children or they aren't. If they are, homosexual couples deserve the same protections as heterosexual couples.
However, that isn't the sole purpose of marriage laws. One of the primary purposes, sure, but if it were the sole purpose, there would be no need for any person not intending to have children to get married. Should CFBC couples, inferile couples, and couples beyond child-bearing age be denied the right to get married? Should AIS women, single X women, transsexuals, and cervical or testicular cancers survivors be denied the right to get married?
Heck, by that logic, there should be no marriage in the first place in the absense of minor children who are the biological offspring of both partners.