Dear Future President,

I am a young citizen and extremely passionate about supporting gay marriage. Although I am young, my generation is unlike any that have come before it. Over the last two decades, the support for homosexuality and same sex marriage has grown dramatically. Norc.org claims that “It went from 11 percent approval in 1988 to 46 percent in 2010...” As a teen I have single handedly witnessed a growth in the LGBT community as more and more kids begin to identify themselves as gay. Along with that I have witnessed an open minded youth speak and create movements in support of the LGBT community. However I have also seen kids live a dark life filled with lies, in fear of what adults, peers, and leaders will think of their sexual orientation. As more people identify as LGBT, I have begun to realize the importance of the legalization of gay marriage in all 50 states. As the new election comes up, the LGBT community faces the recurring challenge of fighting for their right to marry. I am writing to you today, future President, because I have been exposed to the reality of homosexuality and gay marriage among the youth of my generation, and I believe denying gay marriage would be a huge mistake for our country. Gay marriage does not affect heterosexual communities, it helps adoption rates, and denying it is discrimination.

Every citizen deserves equality and an opportunity to express their love. Denying same sex couples the right to marry, is a clear statement that their love is not valued within our society. In fact, it is discrimination. The 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution says “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens in the United States” (www.law.cornell.edu). While the 14th Amendment does not directly address sexual orientation and marriage rights, the Supreme Court believes “that the 14th Amendment allows everyone to enjoy the privileges of American citizenship- including marriage- without legislated discrimination against their orientation” (Heavy.com). Our nation has seen discrimination like this before. In 1872, for example, women were denied their right to vote. This is another example of how the Constitution promises protection and equality for each citizen yet it alienates minorities. Women's rights activist, Susan B. Anthony said, “But we, the whole people, who formed the union, shall be included in this..” (Susan B. Anthony “On Women's Right to Vote”) highlighting the way the constitution has failed to give all the citizens, especially minorities, who formed the union, their rights. The future president cannot possibly or morally represent the USA in all its glory while it is persecuting its own citizens and denying them their promised rights.

Another reason gay marriage should remain legal when you take office is the positive impact gay couples have had on the rate of adoption. Imagine how much that rate will rise for same sex couples that are married. Thousands of helpless kids need to be adopted. In the United States alone around 115,000 children are waiting to be adopted and married couples, gay or straight, can help. However a same sex couples inability to marry greatly impacts their chances of adopting a helpless child. Many Adoption agencies will only release children to married couples, completely rejecting stable and loving homosexual couples. If gay marriage stays legal after you're elected, married same sex couples will be given the same respect and chance as a heterosexual married couple, when adopting a child. Statistics show more than 16000 same sex couples are raising an estimated 22000 adopted children in the United States (www.lifelongadoptions.com). Studies have shown that same sex parents have no negative effects on kids. Also, same sex couples are often more prepared for children and create a happy environment for kids, because they do not adhere to traditional gender roles. The LGBT community has tremendously helped nurture and raise our abandoned youth. Legal same sex marriage will only make it easier for same sex couples to adopt children. Therefore, denying gay marriage is also denying an innocent child a chance at a loving family and a safe home.

Love does not see gender, humans do. It is important that Gay marriage remain legal because gay marriage has no effect on the hetero sexual community. While people may be uncomfortable or morally against same sex marriage, it has no actual effect on others. In fact, a study from the School of Community Health at Portland State University shows that “same sex unions aren't bringing down the venerated institution of marriage” (www.popsci.com). They also found that the rate of opposite sex marriage did not differ in states where same sex marriage was legalized. Similar scenarios have taken place in our history before. For example, the racial integration in the 60’s had no negative impact on white communities. In both cases the only impact these unfamiliar things had on traditional communities was that people were uncomfortable or afraid of the unfamiliar. Not everyone agrees or believes in same sex marriage, but most people do believe in marriage and love. But marriage is simply marriage, whether it's between a man or a woman or a woman and a woman, and it has no effect on the other type of marriage. Our nation and the nation you will be responsible for, is too strong to let the fear of the unfamiliar or the uncomfortable dictate discrimination, civil rights, and love. Mr/Mrs future President, if we take away love from our society, what will we have left? Being uncomfortable is not enough of a reason to deny the beauty of marriage to a whole community of Americans.

All in all, gay marriage should not be a question, a battle, or a dream. Not only should our society support gay marriage remaining legal in all 50 states, we should celebrate it. As it was stated before, the U.S. Constitution promises citizens equality, liberty, and protection. Along the way, America has allowed discrimination to sneak past our morals and promises and take over our citizens promised rights. Gay marriage is far more beneficial than harmful. For example, same sex marriage helps adopted kids find loving families. Gay people deserve the equality promised to them and they deserve to express their love like everyone else. Future President it all comes down to love. Love is like food, it's a necessity to survival. Denying the right for same sex marriage is like letting the LGBT citizens starve. If we don't keep same sex marriage legal, we are breaking our constitution and discriminating against our own citizens. We are ruining the chances for families to prosper and grow in loving environments and we are not valuing the strongest bond we have, love.