After the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize gay marriage, the main thing the LGBT community and supporters were fighting for became a reality. Gay couples now have equal dignity in the eyes of the law! Couples that have been waiting for years or even decades to marry are finally able to tie the knot while knowing that their marriage is legally recognized nationwide. June 25, 2016, was indeed a special day but there are still people that want to reverse that ruling including presidential candidates. No one should be granted such a basic right and then have it withdrawn. Doing so is unconstitutional. To ensure that that does not happen, it is up to the people to support gay marriage. Below are five reasons to support gay marriage.

Being against gay marriage contradicts american democracy

One thing we can all agree on is the importance of democracy in America. Being against gay marriage contradicts that democracy because it is not in alignment with the U.S constitution. The purpose of every amendment except number eighteen has one goal and that goal is to empower individuals while honoring the Declaration of Independence. That declaration clearly states that ALL men are created equal meaning that everyone is entitled to certain rights. Whether they are heterosexual or homosexual isn’t a factor. Not wanting a group to have certain rights goes against what America stands for. Additionally, going against gay marriage is contradictory to America’s democracy because that viewpoint does not have a secular purpose. The government’s responsibility when it comes to marriage isn’t sanctity. All it is responsible for is issuing marriage licenses to couples.

It may decrease the divorce rate

Yes, it is true. Although adequate statistics have not been gathered yet, a decrease in divorce rate is one of many reasons to support gay marriage. Right now, marriages have a 50/50 chance but the divorce rate is likely to decrease because of same sex marriage. There are many same sex couples that have been in long-term relationships while awaiting the opportunity to marry.

 

Longevity means that fewer couples will get divorced because of incompatibility (a main cause of divorce). Several already know that they are compatible because they’ve been building a life together for years. In addition to that, the LGBT community displays a lovely appreciation for marriage that we can all learn from. This certainly does not make same sex couples immune to the issues we all face but may make them more inclined to work at maintaining healthy marriages.

Gay marriage separates the state from the church

The state and religious beliefs must not be intertwined. Doing so defeats the idea of freedom of religion. Laws are laws and faith is faith but the religious perspective of homosexuality being a sin managed to carry over to federal legal matters. The United States of America is a secular nation and in order to achieve and maintain equality, it has to stay that way. That separation will benefit us all.

Love

Love enriches and enhances life. Those that support gay marriage support love and as proven by the ruling, love always wins. Take a moment to imagine not being able to marry your partner? That would be terrible so why should two people be denied that right due to their sexual preference? If you put things into perspective, gay marriage is no different than heterosexual marriage despite the fact that it was just recently legalized. It is just two people in love that want to marry and possibly start a family.

Marriage is redefined

Marriage has been redefined throughout history. A traditional marriage has been left in the past for the most part and that change is good. It signifies the evolution of society and evolution keeps us moving forward while ridding it of injustices. There was once a time when interracial couples were not allowed to marry. The majority can no longer fathom that idea and same sex marriage is no different. Those who do not support gay marriage argue that the institution of marriage is at risk when it actually upholds core values. A union is about love and respect after all.

The power of support groups

So much progress has been made but the issue hasn’t disappeared. Support groups gay marriage have and still help individuals better understand the topic of same sex marriage and other gay issues. Support groups have played a huge role in legalizing gay marriage nationwide. Without those efforts, we may not be here today.

Knowledge

Support groups gay marriage made a huge impact by spreading knowledge. Surprisingly, many individuals who oppose do not completely understand the topic and what having the right to marry means to gay and lesbian couples. Even more shockingly, a portion never realized that the government is intended to be secular despite the fact that religion sneaks into our government like having the phrase,“In God We Trust” on the money.  

 

According to polling from the Pew Research center, the majority of Americans, 55% to be exact, support same sex marriage, while 39% oppose it (the remaining 6% were either unrecorded or undecided). These numbers differ from those recorded in 2001 where 57% opposed and 35% chose to support gay marriage. Such a huge increase in supporters didn’t just happen by chance. This was done by support groups examining injustices, making these injustices known, and outlining the arguments against. Without explaining why denying homosexuals the right to marry is wrong, several would not have grasped the importance. When something makes sense, opinions are changed.

Support groups strengthened a community

Along with spreading knowledge, such groups and organizations strengthen the LGBT community. Support groups helped this particular group understand their rights and do their part to be granted those rights. This soon created a movement that led to the creation of the freedom to marry with Massachusetts, the first state. The movement continued and same sex marriage was eventually backed by both President Obama and the Democratic party. Not long after, marriage was won nationwide!