1. Introduction/Homepage
- I will introduce my topic and explain my stance on it. I will introduce my thesis.
2. Arguments as to Why Gay Marriage Should be Legal
- Equal rights should be provided to all Americans, not just those who are straight.
- The Bible is an outdated way of trying to justify discriminating against gay people.
> Specifically, we do not judge people for having premarital sex or getting a divorce, yet both of those are in the Bible as things we are not supposed to do.
- If gay people are not allowed all of the benefits that come with being an American citizen, they should not have to put up with the drawbacks that come with being an American citizen, such as paying taxes.
- The government is not legally allowed to discriminate against someone due to religion or race, therefore they should not be able to discriminate against someone due to their sexual orientation.
- If gay marriage is eventually legalized, since gay couples cannot naturally have children together, it would increase the number of children being adopted and taken out of orphanages.
- Gay people do not choose to be gay. They do not choose to lead a lifestyle that means they will be discriminated against for their entire lives, and therefore we should not judge or discriminate against them for something they cannot change about themselves. It would be the same thing as judging someone for being born a different race.
3. Address Counterarguments
- The Bible says it isn't right, even though divorce is also an "abomination", yet one on two couples in America gets a divorce. Also, the government has no right to pass a law based on something in the Bible because not everyone in American is Christian and the freedom to believe in what you want is part of the building blocks of America.
- Gay marriage will lead to polygamy and will degrade the the sacred institution of marriage.
- Gay couples are not natural because they cannot produce children, even though the world is suffering from overpopulation.
- Gay couples cannot raise children because a child needs a male and female parent, even though single parents are praised for their hard work raising children by themselves without a father or mother figure.
- Gay couples will raise gay children, even though historically most gay people were raised by straight parents.
4. Take a Look Back on Other Controversial Issues From the Past:
- Society is always going to change and we have to allow it to change.
- Black people were once slaves, women were once property, interracial marriage was once illegal, etc. These were all once controversial issues such as gay marriage is today. All of these issues included a denial of rights because of someone's sex, race, etc. and they all seem ridiculous and entirely prejudice today.
5. Measures Being Taken
- Discuss things such as Proposition 8 in California and other advances for gay rights.
