Issues of Sexuality in the United States

In 1776, when the founding fathers declared America's independence from the tyrant Great Britain, Thomas Jefferson wrote in the line "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" (United States). Although liberty is cited in the declaration, it was not until 90 years after its signature that slavery was abolished. Since the rise of open homosexuality in the United States, it would appear this country is repeating history.

Proposition 8 is an effort in California to amend the State Constitution to only allow marriages between men and women. This directly contradicts the declaration of independence. It states that all men are created equal, and they all have the unalienable right to the pursuit of happiness. Banning marriage between two men, or two women would be treating homosexuals as being unequal to heterosexuals. It would also directly contradict the idea that the pursuit of happiness is an unalienable right.

Much like the times immediately following abolition, homosexuals are afforded "separate-but-equal" rights. Blacks had separate water fountains, separate schools and even separate bathrooms, but these facilities were equal to those of white people so it was accepted. As a "separate-but-equal" solution to same-sex marriage, the state of Vermont has adopted legal unions that afford homosexuals mostly the same rights they would have in marriage, but with a different name. A civil union is "a voluntary union for life (or until divorce) of adult parties of the same sex" (WordNet Search - 3.0). In 1952, the United States Supreme Court rules that separate cannot be equal in terms of schools, bathrooms and other public commodities. Marriage should not be any different.

A lack of equality between heterosexuals and homosexuals goes quite a bit further than marriage. "Three states have laws denying gays and lesbians the right to adopt or take in foster children. Though Mississippi allows single gays and lesbians to adopt, it prohibits same-sex couples from adopting. Utah excludes same-sex couples indirectly through a statute barring all unmarried couples from adopting or taking in foster children. Florida is currently the only state that specifically bans "homosexual" individuals from adopting, although the state does allow them to be foster parents. In the remaining 36 states, gays and lesbians who want to adopt or take in foster care children are at the mercy of judges and adoption and foster agencies, according to the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a non-profit organization that studies adoption and foster care" (Gandossy). Although there are no statistics to show whether or not homosexuals make better or worse parents, biology shows that homosexuals and heterosexuals are not different. Homosexuals and heterosexuals both have a forty-six chromosomes and are equally susceptible to diseases and infections. There is no reason for it to be more difficult for someone who is homosexual to adopt a child than it is for a heterosexual, because sexual orientation does not disqualify them from being a good parent.

Similarly, homosexuality does not prevent someone from being a qualified soldier. Yet, the military has a strict 'don't ask, don't tell' policy stemming from a speech that the brass' highest ranking general made. ". . .General Pace pointed out that adultery was an offence under US military rules and could result in dismissal. He said homosexuality was akin to adultery. "I do not believe that the armed forces of the United States are well served by saying through our policies that it's OK to be immoral in any way," he said" (Herald 14). What is more is that after a long debate of women in the military, it would appear the 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy is being used to oust women from the military. "The Army and Air Force discharged a disproportionate number of women in 2007 under the ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy that prohibits openly gay people from serving in the military, according to Pentagon statistics gathered by an advocacy group. While women make up 14 percent of Army personnel, 46 percent of those discharged under the policy last year were women. And while 20 percent of Air Force personnel are women, 49 percent of its discharges under the policy last year were women. By comparison for 2006, about 35 percent of the Army's discharges and 36 percent of the Air Force's were women, according to the statistics" (Shanker 14).

If a soldier does not reveal their homosexuality, however, they stand in line and fight, and their friendlies and enemies alike do not know the difference. They kill just as effectively as a heterosexual, and are fighting for the same cause. There should not be an issue with their sexual orientation. Happily, high ranking military official Gen. John M. Shalikashvili is beginning to see an error in the ways of the military. "I am on my second yearlong tour in Iraq, the first having ended 15 months ago. In my opinion, troops here want only someone next to them who is dependable in a firefight, knows first aid and keeps a good morale. We don't care if that person is male, female, gay, straight, white, black, cheats on his wife or her husband, is Catholic or Jewish, rich or poor... With all that is going on here, it amazes me that ''gays in the military'' are still being debated by those out of uniform" ('Don't Ask, Don't Tell. No Sir!').

It is unfortunate that inequality is still rampid in a land where it is declared that "All Men are created equal." Ignorance and personal points of view have prevented a group of people from marrying, adopting children and serving the country they love. It is a shame to see that in the land of opportunity, sexual orientation governs which rights a person has, and which rights are not afforded to them.

Works Cited

Don't Ask, Don't Tell. No Sir!." The New York Times 07 Jan 2007, Late ed.: 13.

Gandossy. Taylor. "Gay adoption: A new take on the American family," CNN 27 June 2007. 4 Dec 2008

Herald , Michael Gawenda. General sticks to his guns over anti-gay volley." The New York Times 15 Mar 2007: 14.

Shanker, Thom. 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Hits Women Much More." The New York Times 23 June 2008: 14.

United States. Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia: 1776.

"WordNet Search - 3.0." Princeton.edu. 4 Dec 2008 .