To celebrate this brand new blog, I figured I'd introduce you to my first outing. I was in 9th grade at Kino Jr. High School (not "out" yet FYI). Our assignment was to write a persuasive essay about a hot topic at the time. I chose gay marriage. For being only a 9th grader, I'm pretty proud of myself for having written this. Little did I know that it would serve as the first step I took accepting who I was and being myself...
Enjoy my beginning!
Vincent Chavez
11/22/05
A-Hour
Mrs. Dilbeck
Persuasive Essay
Locking Them in the Closet
Gay people have been accepted
tremendously in the entertainment industry. From movies to TV, they’ve been
stereotyped as the close friend who is there for support and laughter, however
in real life, it’s a different story to many who live the lifestyle. Gay people
in today’s news have been portrayed as immoral and wrong, especially when it
comes to marriage. Homosexual marriages should be accepted and legalized to
help reduce the amount of prejudice and to allow gay people to feel accepted
for who they really are. This would not only be a victory for another human
right that is constantly being fought for, but would also show that history
repeats itself, especially when considering the Civil Rights movement.
The first major reason as to why
gay marriage shouldn’t be banned would be because people shouldn’t be biased
against a homosexual’s being. Gays are people who also have feelings and want
to be accepted in a typically diverse society. Regardless of what religion you
believe in or think homosexuality is a sin, it is important to be open-minded.
How Christian would it be to discriminate against a homosexual’s being, if you
believe in Christianity? “There have been many incidents of men and women being
called names, pushed around, and beaten by people who believed them to be gay”
(Kranz 89). It has been predicted that gay marriages have lasted longer than
straight ones. “Gay relationships are stereotyped as purely physical
encounters; many gay relationships last as long as or longer than many
marriages” (Kranz 86). As long as they’re truly in love, there shouldn’t be a
problem with getting married.
Another supporting reason that
would possibly persuade the support of gay marriages is that by prohibiting
them, it will not only prevent homosexuals from publicly being who they truly
are, but also denying them the right to live as happily as those in a
traditionally accepted marriage. Some homosexuals would say that they’re afraid
to be gay in the open because of the lack of respect for how they live and who
they love. By banning gay marriage, it could make them even more afraid and
possibly feel as though we are locking them in the closet that they so hard to
be freed from.
In order to agree with the third
and final reason that supports gay marriage, you first need to remember what
happened in the 1960’s during the Civil Rights movement. African Americans were
fighting for their freedom in the United States of America. After years of
struggling, they were accepted openly by the U.S. as American citizens. Today, after
many years since that movement, homosexuals are now being treated with the same
disrespect similar to what the blacks endured during the movement. This only
comes to show that history does in fact repeat itself. “Now we have a group of
Americans who take marriage seriously and who want the rings and the commitment
and the service. Marriage is more than a legal arrangement. Marriage is
standing in your community. Civil unions are a seat in the back of the bus”
(ajc.com).
To conclude, marriage between homosexuals
should definitely be accepted by the community because discriminating against
them would be immoral, and possibly scaring them from coming out of the closet.
The people of the United States wouldn’t want to repeat the same issues that
were present in the Civil Rights days. The people of this so-called ‘Free
Country’ need to stand up for the gays by spreading the word positively and
also by protesting in front of the City Halls in America to legalize gay
marriage. Marriage doesn’t just have to be traditional with a man and woman,
but between anyone who is in love and wants to live a happy life. “Marriage is
an important personal choice and a basic human right. The decision to get
married should belong to the couple in love, not the state” (ladera.com).
Works
Cited
“Gay
Marriage, A Basic Right”
Kranz,
Rachel. Straight Talk About Prejudice.
New York City, NY: Facts On
File, Inc., 1992.
Rauch,
Jonathan. “Gay Marriage”
oh my gosh, i remember editing your essay! i loved reading it again. you're amazing.
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