Research Paper on:
Pro Gay Marriage

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
media took great delight in fanning the flames of moral outrage because it generated TV ratings and sold newspapers. Gay marriage is almost always presented in a negative context,  i.e., it blasphemes religious principles or that it is indicative of social perversion or even that it goes against the precepts of nature. If this is true, then why  is it that at least ten percent of the population, approximately 25 million according to 1990 statistics, is "exclusively or predominantly homosexual in terms of sexual orientation" (Hartinger 681).  Out of these, approximately 50 percent of the men and 70 percent of the women are involved in "long-term, committed relationships" (Hartinger 681). Marriage, for these people, is the  next logical step in legitimizing their relationship in society as well as in the eyes of the law. Gay marriage is hardly a new concept. It has been legally  recognized in Denmark since 1989 along with child custody rights being granted to same-sex couples, and by the end of the twentieth century, France officially sanctioned what it refers to  as "national registered partnerships" and in Ontario, Canada, it has been ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to receive "full and equal family rights" (Farrell 130; Stacey and Biblarz 159).  In September of 2000, the Dutch parliament followed suit by also granting equal rights to same-sex couples who wished to make their relationship legal (Stacey and Biblarz 159).  Back in 1987, when social scientists began researching the gay family structure, there was a hasty conclusion that in the United States, "It is highly unlikely that marriages between same-sex  individuals will be legalized in any state in the foreseeable future" (Mason et al 125). However, while it has been slow in coming, gay marriage finally made its way