Same-Sex Marriage: A Sociological Perspective on US Laws and Society

This presentation offers a sociological analysis of same-sex marriage in the United States, covering its historical evolution, legal frameworks, and societal perceptions. It begins with an overview of key events, including the 2015 Supreme Court decision, and explores the interplay of socioeconomic, religious, and cultural factors. The presentation delves into the evolution of social movements advocating for LGBT rights, the development of anti-discrimination laws, and the role of sociological theories such as functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, and queer theory in understanding the issue. It also addresses the impact of uncertainty on stakeholders, tactics used by activists, and shifts in public opinion. The presentation concludes with a discussion on the potential effects of same-sex marriage on society and provides relevant references. The assignment fulfills the requirements of the course by analyzing the evolution of social movements, the application of sociological theory to understand disparities in political power, analyzing the evolution of anti-discrimination law, and addressing questions reflecting public perception using supporting data or research.

SAME SEX
MARRIAGE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN THE
UNITED STATES: AN OVERVIEW
• Marriage between same sexes or the gay
marriage happens between two people who
belong from the same gender or sex
(Coffman, Coffman & Ericson.)
• The United States had dynamic approach
towards this phenomenon depending on the
changing leaders and their perspectives.
Several Prospects like socioeconomic,
religious and cultural prospects are
associated with the concept of gay marriage.

EVOLUTION OF SOCIAL
MOVEMENTS
• The laws about same sex marriage are made based on gender
orientation, ethnicity and race inside the United
States.Although, it is still believed that the laws and regulations
should be same for every human being(Blackwell et al. 2016.)
• Authority and power happens to be two aspects of society that
are critical. It has been one essential aspect that take care of
crucial decisions in the society mostly.

TIMELINE OF KEY HISTORIC EVENTS
• The United States tend to have a long
history since 1970s when it comes gay
marriage.
• The very first lawsuits had took place
around 1972 when civil rights about
acknowledging the relationship or marriage
between two individuals of same (Mallon,
2017.)
• Later, the United States and its central
power wanted an authority to keep and do
not sanction civil rights of the LGBT
community at the same time.

MILESTONES
• Many people protested but the government
stick to its Christian belief. However, on
2004 marriage between same sex took
place and the situation started to gradually
change.
• The supreme court of Hawaii interfered in
this and very soon the marriage between
same sex were allowed. In the same year,
Massachusetts became the first American
state to legalize gay marriage (Bittner,
2018.)

EVOLUTION OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS
• The federal government of the United States has always
been against the concept of gay marriage since the start.
• It followed Christianity that prohibited marriage between
same sexes. In the year of 1970, Richard Baker and James
McConnell had applied for marriage license at Minnesota.
• Their application got rejected by clerk Gerald Nelson as
they were from the same sex. Thy again appealed at 1972
but the federal courts left to the state that hoped for
legalization of gay marriage (Kahn & Gorski, 2016.)

FEDERAL ANTI – DISCRIMINATION
LAWS
• Despite implementation of certain policies, the Federal
Law still does not have provisions for protection of
individuals against discrimination.
• In the current context, the discrimination is explicitly on
the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• However, the protections against such discrimination are
considered under the Equality Act 2019
• Historically, the anti – discrimination laws were attempted
to be incorporated in the Equality Laws 1974, but was a
failure.

SEXUAL DIVERSITY IN THE
COUNTRY AND EMERGENCE
OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
• The issue of sexual diversity became massive concern in the United
States of America.
• The lesbian and Gay people declared their orientation of sex right
even before seeking for an approval from the public.
• They marched and revolted for their rights of equality and
legalization of same sex marriage in the United States (Griggs et
al., 2017)
• Various social movements have evolved since then that have
attempted to promote this diversity.

CURRENT POLITICAL
LANDSCAPE
• In the year of 2013, Supreme Court of the United State took a
decision on striking down the law against federal recognition of same
sex people and significant impacts impetus for the lawsuit and its
progress was made (Ng & Rumens, 2017.) Later on many debates and
marches have been made to legalize the same sex marriage.
• Ad per (Hart-Brinson, 2016) the sociological theory about same sex
marriages prior to June 26, 2015, the supreme court of United States
decided to legalize the act throughout the nation.

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
AND POLITICAL POWERS
• There are theory of social construction, theory of
punctuated equilibrium and theory of multiple system
approach.
• All of these theories have elaborated agenda associated
with authority and power of federal state along with its
implementation of power to stop the same sex marriage.
• It was systemic agenda previously but late on became a
controversial topic among public (Wills et al. 2016.)

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES,
POLITICAL DISPARITY AND
SEXUALITY
• Functionalist ideals of sexuality enforces the regulation of sexual
behavior so that the marital cohesion and family stability are maintained.
• This is often used as a political tool to justify the irrationality of same sex
marriage.
• Conflict theorists on the other hand identifies the conflict between
heterosexual normalcy and homosexual understanding.
• symbolic interactionist theory focuses on the meanings associated with
sexuality and sexual orientation.
• This was also largely utilized as a political toolkit to marginalize the
homosexual communities.
• queer theory devalues the rigid division of people on the basis of males
and females and allows for change, negotiation and sexual freedom

EFFECTS OF UNCERTAINTY TO THE
STAKEHOLDERS
• In the personal, professional and educational contexts, the issues of same
sex marriage shall be mitigated because the society is gradually
becoming global day by day.
• Various countries like the Europe had already legalized this issue of
diversity (Stavrou & Ierodiakonou, 2018.)
• The communities have policymakers those who understand a fact that
marriage between same sex or a sexual orientation of a person towards
the other person belonging from similar gender is not something
unnatural.