How do you make the case for same sex marriage?

[TaraJo]

Everyone knows I'm a student, right? If you didn't know before, you know now.

Well, I'm taking a speech class and part of that is that I'm going to have to make a persuasive speech. So, I'm going to make a speech for something I already believe in: same sex marriage.

Thing is, from my perspective, same sex marriage is a no brainer. When you're queer, it's kinda hard to question your own rights. However, if I'm going to make an effective, persuasive speech, I would need to address the concerns of people who aren't already queer who are specifically homophobic.

Any suggestions on what those concerns are and how to address them?

[Anomalocaris]

I don't see a case against it, so I see no reason why it needs a case made for it.

[TaraJo]

I don't see a case against it, so I see no reason why it needs a case made for it.

Personally, I agree.

However, a lot of states have passed laws and even state constitutional amendments to prevent same sex marriage. If that's going to happen, there must be a case against it and that's kinda what I'm trying to learn.

[Haydn2]

I can't see any case agaist it either.....perhaps the opposition think its a case of marriage the first step and adoption the next. So that would need addressing also ( and would be a alot damn harder).

[frankiej]

The majority of assholes against it use the "destroying the sanctity of marriage" bullshit... just stuff about definitions.

[festive1]

If you view marriage as a non-religious, legal agreement between two people, it makes no difference what the sex/gender of those two people are.

[Ryantology]

I don't see a case against it, so I see no reason why it needs a case made for it.

There really is nothing else which needs saying in this debate which embarrasses humanity for even existing.

[Cyberman]

I think most of us are on the same page when it comes to the no-brainer aspect of same-sex marriage, but that doesn't really address Tara's question. I've given it some thought and I'm wondering if an equal rights angle might help? I know there are a lot of people - too many perhaps - who have got it into their heads that two people who wish to be join together in a loving marriage, but who just happen to be of the same gender, are somehow 'demanding' special treatment, more rights than so-called 'traditional' married couples when all they're asking is to be allowed the same basic rights that traditional married couples already get by default. .We had a particularly unpleasant exchange here just a few months ago on this very topic.

Well, it might be a start anyway. Any use to you?

[Napoléon]

I think this is a good bit of reading material:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/20...riage.html

Your declaration of independence clearly supports the idea of equality, so I think an argument on these grounds is the simplest and most poignant one you can go for.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that marriage is one of the most fundamental rights that we have as Americans under our Constitution.

^ Yet gays are denied this right.

[Jackalope]

Yeah, Napo, I've used that argument before and been countered with "gays have the same right to marry someone of the opposite sex as straights".

How the hell do you argue against that sort of disingenuous non-cognition?