(Special Assignment) - Marriage and Family

[Disorder]

I need a total of 20 opinions for a Sociology project I am working on. If I could get 5 to 10 from this forum, I will be doing great!

Please provide a brief statement for the following two questions and include your Sex/Age/Race if you do not mind. If you prefer not to post that, thats totally fine.

Also, thank you in advance for taking your time to read this far into it. :thumbup:

1) Should same sex couples be allowed to marry?


2) Should g_a_y or lesbian couples be allowed to adopt children?

[Will]

No on both counts. Gay and Lesbian marriage makes a mockery of what has traditionally been a union between a man and woman with the usual goal of having children, which is impossible (naturally) for same sex couples.

Neither should they be permitted to adopt. A child cannot properly grow up in an environment without a mother and father. Not to mention the ostracism/hassle the child will face at school.

24/M/White

[ranger2112]

I am torn on this. I am pulled by my traditional upbringing and as a rule believe a married couple should be man and wife. Perhaps if a gay couple wish to form a union we should allow it, just not call it marriage. as to the adoption, that bugs me more. I do not think a child would have the same oppurtunities in life that a child raised with both a man and a woman role model. It will skew his/her reality. Now, if a mother/father have a child and find themselves in a gay relationship, then i am fine with that due to the fact that the other parent will be a part of that child's life.

39/male/c

[tippysmurf]

22/m/what was the last thing? anyways i believe that everyone is entitled to be happy and i have numerous gay friends. i have no qualms with them being seen as coupled in the eyes of the law. what it's called i personally don't care either. although i do understand how people could be offended by it being called a marriage, and it shouldn't really matter what it's called especially by those that are hoping to reap the benefits of being together under the eyes of the law. as far as them adopting or having artificial insemination i have no qualms with that either. oh and will shut up you're retarded. :wub: and you have a cute butt!

[Disorder]

3 very good replies.. thank you all!!

[Divine Intervention]

No on both counts. Gay and Lesbian marriage makes a mockery of what has traditionally been a union between a man and woman with the usual goal of having children, which is impossible (naturally) for same sex couples.

Neither should they be permitted to adopt. A child cannot properly grow up in an environment without a mother and father. Not to mention the ostracism/hassle the child will face at school.

24/M/White

agreed here with Will (and ranger on the 2nd point). Not to mention the fact that one of the biggest Russian fears atm is its declining population. We have been facing this problem for many many years and have grown up with it...to the general population in Russia the idea of gay marriage is seen as making things even worse (not to mention the STD epidemic going on in our country)...but thats my point of view on the matter where it being an issue in Russia, and i admit that over there we have a v.homophobic view on the issue.

19/M/White (slav :cool:)

[northbabylon]

19/m/white

I have nothing against gays or lesbians, in fact, one of my best friends is a lez. But judging from her, and her friends that are lez as well. They don't seem to be all their mentally. It could be just that crowd, but i am judging on who i know. They seem to care more about the "pleasure" or "rights" then the love and/or children. My friend keeps asking me if her children are going to be OK in school. I give her the straight answer everytime....I don't think they will be OK. Once someone finds out, your child will be teased and made fun of by many. It's the sad truth. From what I know from the ones i do know, they wanna be married, but really don't show signs of love, or wanting to start a family. As for adopting kids, i have nothing against it. I would rather them have gay parents then no parents at all.

[Divine Intervention]

aaaah lol, your Lez story. we had lots of fun discussing that :P

[Hoebawt]

23/m/Human

Gay Marriage is a no no... It should be something between a man and woman that are trying to mk a family.. to guys or to sexy ladies cant mk a family on there own

And Gay couples adopting kids is wrong.. not so much for the teasing at school... but more for how they will be looking at the world as they are being raised....

I have nothing against fags... jeeze im friends wit anton right... but lets be honest here... Homosexuality isnt normal and its not in our natural instinct to go stick our junk in another man... and the same for two girls rubbing their carpets.... Its just not the way of life..... its the opposite so no they shouldn't be allowed to adopt... get a dog or something

[Xavior]

19/m/white
I would rather them have gay parents then no parents at all.


You hit that one right on.

Kids are teased all the time, I mean seriously? They are teased because of their first name, last name, middle name, skin colour, hair colour, eye colour, how tall they are, how short they are, etc etc etc! To give that child a chance of being in a family (which is the most precious thing in the world) when they would have no family at all is a beautiful thing and the MOST important thing!

As for the first one, the thing it comes down to is marriage rights. From a practical point of view, it doesn't have to be called a 'marriage' to be a marriage. The only reason why this term is important is because of the rights one have when married (for tax purposes, etc). So to keep the traditionalists happy, call it something else, and to keep the homosexuals happy, give them the same rights as one would have in a traditional marriage!

So yes to both.

[Dogma]

47/m/caucasion (however I don't really see where race should have any bearing on it)

On the topic of same sex marriages, I can only reply using my own faith and upbringing to try and make a response. I do not have a problem with a same sex couple having the same benefits of a dual sex couple in things like insurance and things like that. I do however feel that a marriage is between a man and a woman as in my religion, and my beliefs, brings me to that conclusion. A "Marriage" is a sacriment in my religion and is considered sacred in the eyes of God. Not that a same sex couple can't have the same commitment as a marriage, but that is what I believe. I don't see a probalem with "civil unions" or what ever you want to call them, but a marriage is based on a religioius ceremony and set of beliefs.

On the topic of same sex couples adopting: until the stigma of being raised in that type of family is removed, I think it is inherantly unfair to a child to present them with the disadvantages that comes with the social stigma. I also believe that children should have the influence of both a man and a woman in order to better form his/her own ideas and awareness of the differences between the sexes. I am not saying that one sex is better than the other but there are differences that need to be witnessed and experienced by the child.

I do have g-ay friends and I think as much of them as I do my straight friends, so I just want you to know I am not homophobic on that topic. I also do not feel that homosexuality is a choice that is made either, it is biologic. There is no black and white here, but infinite shades of gray when it comes to a persons masculinity or femininity and or sexual preferences.

[Dogma]

To give that child a chance of being in a family (which is the most precious thing in the world) when they would have no family at all is a beautiful thing and the MOST important thing!



This I agree with.

[-Z-]

Also, thank you in advance for taking your time to read this far into it. :thumbup:

1) Should same sex couples be allowed to marry?


2) Should g_a_y or lesbian couples be allowed to adopt children?

M/25/White


1) Yes. Even tho I totally disagree and can not understand how, or why Gays enjoy each other... people should be allowed to do as they please, as long as no one is hurting anyone else, or them selves. Here in Canada, same sex weddings are Legal nation wide.


2) This one ... is tricky, But again I would have to say Yes. If one man, or one woman can raise a child why cant two? There is not evidence that sexual orientation of a parents dictates the childs orientation. Not that there is anything wrong with that ;-) Since a man and a woman who can not get pregnat are allowed to adopt, so should any couple. If we draw lines around peoples rights due to their sexuality (however unnatural it might seem) Why then can we not draw lines due to Religion, Political stance, or race? Should we say that Republicans Or Socialists can not Adopt, because we fear the way they might raise a child?


Z

[ooga booga]

20.5/Male/White

1.) Yes. I am republican, and a Catholic. However I disagree with both of my parties on this issue. If 2 people have been in a relationship for 15 years, but can't enjoy the benefits of a marriage is sad. To say they make mockery of marriage (as I believe Will put it, not trying to call you out) is wrong in my eyes. If that is how they are, then so be it. I will tell you what is a mockery of marriage... 2 people getting married while pissed drunk in Vegas who just met 3 hours ago. That's a mockery. And they do it, but a 15 year relationship of 2 men can't.

2.) No. I agree with people recieving the benefits, but if you are g-ay or lesbian, then you should be sacrificing your privledge to a child since you obviously can't concede one yourself. I think it would be too detrimental to a small child growing up having 2 mom's, or 2 dad's. If they want to get married fine, but leave the kids out of it! Those are my opinions on the matter. :)

[esco]

Male/23/White (Hispanic)


1) Yes, as I see it the American constitution guarantees equality and requires the separation of church and state. The government should allow for the marriage between two consenting adults in legal terms and leave the church decide how it defines marriage as it likes.


2) I also believe that g@y couples should be allowed to adopt or have their own children. Some reasons would be the fact that sexuality is not a learned lifestyle. Also the fact that we are living in a time when divorce rates and single parent house holds are at an all time high have no shown to be a detrimental effect on children. A two parent house hold of mother and father does not guarantee a stable home. I've read and heard about this but of course I may be wrong.


P.S. Whats this misperception about homosexuality is unnatural? Ancient antiquity is filled with it like the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, etc... It can also be found in nature too...

[Disorder]

:thumbup: Once again, thank you all for your help, it is greatly appreciated, here is my conclusion from everyone polled. I gathered responces from here as well as from my R/L friends and family. :dblthumbup:



Sociology
Special Assignment 2
Tuesday, October 28, 2008



I polled 20 people between the ages of 19 and 49 and I asked them two questions. I am interested to see what their thoughts were on gay rights. I found it more difficult to get answers from the women subjects, yet most of the women would get very in depth with their feelings on the subject.



Should same sex couples be allowed to marry?
Should gay or lesbian couples be allowed to adopt children?



** 20 respondants edited out**


After reviewing the thoughts of 20 different individuals on the subject of gay rights, I come to a diversified range of conclusions. I polled fourteen males and six females of which seventeen were White and two were Hispanic, leaving one unknown. Their ages ranged from nineteen to forty-nine, with the average age being just over thirty. Sixty percent of those polled thought gays should not be allowed to marry, while thirty-five percent were in favor of the marriages, leaving five percent undecided. Of the sixty percent opposed to gay marriages, sixty-seven percent were male and thirty three percent were female. The most popular reasoning to the opposition of gay marriage is God; many believe that gay marriages go against the teachings of the bible. Others stated marriage should be between one man and one woman. Those that were in favor of gay marriages cited legal rights and shared benefits as the major reasons behind their views.
Fifty-five percent of those polled thought that gays should not be allowed to adopt children. Thirty-five percent were in favor, while ten percent were undecided on whether same sex couples should be able to adopt. Of the six females polled, three thought that the adoption should not be allowed, two were in favor, and one was undecided. Out of the fourteen males polled, eight were opposed to the adoptions, while five were in favor, leaving one male undecided. The majority of those opposed feared the children would be picked on for having homosexual parents. The majority of those in favor of the adoptions thought that having gay parents is a better alternative than having no parents at all. It seemed that all respondents felt strongly about their answers and gave good reasoning for their views.




**maybe I will score a B or better**

Thanks everyone!

[northbabylon]

interesting, hope you get a good grade.