Till Death Do Us Part

"Till death do us part"

My Father picked me up from school today, just like any other day. The first thing he always says is "so how was your day at school". He's a "stay at home" dad so we spend allot of time together. When we get home he tells me "remember you can't go out and play until your homework is done", so I rush off to my room to finish as fast as possible that way I can go play with my friends. I can't wait to go out and play baseball. Dad's been teaching me how to pitch. I finish up within an hour and rush out the door to meet jimmy my friend next door. Dad stops me on the way out and says ,"make sure your home on time for supper, I'm cooking something special for you and your dad". Oh yeah, I have two dads, how lucky am I.

Misconceptions of how the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) are perceived have ostracized them since day of neanderthals. Abomination, unnatural, and shameful; these are just a few derogatory words associated with the homosexual community. Same sex marriage will be beneficial society in many ways. Alleviation of these stereotypes is just one. Same sex marriage will also have many social and economical benefits. Human right come into question when homosexuals are discriminated against. The constitution states that "We are all created equal", which is contrary to how they are treated. Same sex marriage "just like all marriage", boils down to love, family values, and having a strong relationship. It should not be characterized as homosexual marriage, just "marriage".

Religion is responsible for many of the negative connotations associated with homosexuals. Pope Benedict XVI has stated that same-sex marriage is one of the most insidious and dangerous threats facing the world today (Paulo Cunha,USAtoday). Ironic, considering the reports of young boy bed sodomized by their pastors and priests which sounds like the "pot calling the kettle black".

Proposition 8 is another example of religious influence on the LGBT community. A bill passed in 2008 in San Francisco banning same-sex marriage which was mostly funded by religious groups. Brittany Baker discussed this in her paper stating that "During the vote for prop 8, supporters had contributed over $19.7 million towards the movement, and an estimated 43% of that or ($8.3 million) came from Mormons both living in and out of state"(Baker,2010).

Misconceptions associated with the LGBT have created the idea that homosexuality is a choice. Having an attraction to the same sex has here for over 600 years. It's not some new fad that people are doing cause its cool. Brian Mustanski PhD, is a professor who studies the mental and behavioral health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.