- LGBT rights activists argue that the studies used by anti-gay activists to make gay or lesbian parenting appear harmful to children are not credible, as they compare children of two-parent homes to children of single-parent homes NOT children of spouses of straight couples to children of gay and lesbian couples. All of the U.S. leading mainstream medical, educational and psychological associations agree that children of same-sex couples fare just as well as children of straight couples.
- DOMA amounts to unconstitutional discrimination because it lacks a legally sufficient government purpose."Moral opposition to homosexuality, though it may reflect deeply-held personal views, is not a legitimate policy objective that can justify unequal treatment of gay and lesbian people," the Justice Department says.
- State lawmakers argue DOMA disrespects states’ rights. "By denying federal recognition for some of our states’ lawful marriages, DOMA does not just deny married same-sex couples these and other critical rights and benefits," they wrote. "It disrespects our states’ decisions to treat all of our citizens equally."
- The federal government is interfering in the lives of state citizens. Same-sex married couples are "constantly hamstrung" by the more than 1,100 rights they cite being withheld by the federal government.
- Lawmakers say DOMA forces them to discriminate. They say DOMA "even requires our states’ governments, when we jointly administer federal programs like Medicaid, to actively discriminate against our own lawfully-married citizens." The companies complained of having to identify those legally married couples that are gay among their workforce so they can be denied benefits.
- DOMA is dangerous to LGBT youth. During an epidemic of LGBT suicides among youth who are struggling to be out in a world that does not seem to accept them, DOMA just worsens the situation. "For LGBT youth, DOMA sends a dangerous message that that they cannot be full and equal citizens of their country," lawmakers warn.
Photos from The Huffington Post
“We can imagine many scenarios in which the child suffers because of a failure of the state to recognize the relationship between two same-sex parents. Let’s say you’ve got two mommies—one is your bio mommy and one is your other mommy. Something terrible happens to your bio mommy and you are five or six years old and you get sent to live, either with the state because, according to the state, your other mommy is basically a stranger, or you get dragged off to grandparents that you’ve never met. If we just use a little bit of imagination, we can imagine many consequences and why it’s better for the child that the state acknowledge, recognize and provide for protections for the relationship between these type of parents.” –Neville Hoad, University of Texas Associate Professor of English
Main Arguments AGAINST the Repeal of DOMA:
- Activists in favor of upholding the Defense of Marriage Act argue that studies show children of heterosexual parents have a better state of wellbeing than children of gay or lesbian parents.
- Republicans say that DOMA ties federal benefits to the traditional understanding of marriage (one man, one woman) and its origins as a way to address "the tendency of opposite-sex relationships to produce unintended and unplanned offspring." It also is way to "foster relationships in which children are raised by both their biological parents."
- Opponents say legalizing same-sex marriage will not only redefine marriage itself, it will also threaten the traditional family."God gave us the gift of marriage between one man and one woman because through them life is born and that's the way God created us to be," Sister Bernadette Morse said.
- Opponents also say gay marriage will jeopardize the religious freedoms of individuals, churches, businesses and even some of those called to serve their country in the military. "It puts at risk the religious liberties of duly authorized clergy and particularly those who are under the authority of the federal government, such as the hundreds of military chaplains in this country," Rev. Rob Schenck, chairman of the Evangelical Church Alliance, said.
Photos from The Huffington Post
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