Dear future president of the United States,

Imagine a world where people accept everyone for who they are. Imagine a world where people could marry whoever they want without being judged. Imagine a world where people aren’t seen as less than human for something they can’t control. Your policies should protect the rights of all people like stated in the constitution. You should also consider the benefits of same sex marriage and the majority of the country’s opinion on it.

Everyone has the right to marry whoever they want, according to the constitution. The denial of marriage licenses to same sex couples violates the fourteenth amendment. “All across our country, in every region, every social class, every race and ethnicity, every religion or nonreligion, people get married. It is a key to the pursuit of happiness, something people aspire to-and keep aspiring to, again and again, even when their experience has been far from happy. To be told you cannot get married is thus to be excluded from one of the defining rituals of the American life cycle.” (Nussbaum) “Gay marriage is protected by the U.S. Constitution’s commitments to liberty and equality.” (Changing Attitudes) The pursuit of happiness in one of the three unalienable rights of all citizens. Last time I checked, being gay or not doesn’t determine if you’re a citizen. People shouldn’t be concerned with same sex couples getting married. As long as they love and care for each other, that’s all that should matter. Marriage is your commitment to the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. People don’t choose who they’re attracted to, but everyone should be able to choose who they want to marry.

There are a lot of marriage benefits when it comes to same sex marriage. Gay and lesbian couples would be recognized when it comes to filing federal taxes, receive health insurance and retirement benefits when married to a federal employee, and many spousal benefits if married to a member of the armed forces. “When a gay, lesbian, or bisexual senior dies, his or her surviving partner faces a financial loss that no can amount to tens of thousands of dollars because the couple cannot be recognized as legally married in the United States. Without marriage, Social Security survivor benefits are not available, retirement plans inherited from a partner are heavily taxed, and estate taxes apply to the inheritance of a home.” (Bennett) Same sex couples deserve these rights because they are no different from other married couples. They’re all humans and American citizens, so they should be treated equally, too.

The percentage of same sex marriage supporters has increased greatly over the years. Today, about sixty percent of Americans support gay marriage. Just two decades ago, only twenty-seven percent of America backed same sex marriage. This goes to show that gay marriage has been a huge topic in our everyday lives, and people are coming to understand that gays and lesbians are normal humans just like the rest of us. “The rise in support for same sex marriage over the past decade is among the largest changes in opinion on any policy issue over this time period. A new national survey finds that much of the shift is attributable to the arrival of a large cohort of young adults - the millennial generation - who are far more open to gay rights than any other generation.” (Mitchell) No matter what age you are, everyone has a voice that should be heard.

The constitution, benefits, and the majority vote on same sex marriage are all proof that same sex couples have the right to get married, and they shouldn’t be denied. We are all human, and we deserve the same rights.

By Reducing the Differences in Opportunities and Experiences between Gay and Heterosexual People, This Unique Culture May Cease to Exist. Lesbian Activist M.V. Lee Badgett, PhD, Director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration at the University. "Gay Marriage - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., 3 May 2016. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

Bennett, Lisa. "The Cost of Marriage Inequality to Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Seniors." Urban Institute. N.p., 21 Jan. 2004. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

Nussbaum, Martha. "A Right to Marry? Same-sex Marriage and Constitutional Law | Dissent Magazine." Dissent Magazine. N.p., 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

Mitchell, Travis. "Changing Attitudes on Gay Marriage." Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project RSS. N.p., 12 May 2016. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.