In the United States today, gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender citizens are denied 1,138 rights that everyone else is allowed to have. What people don’t realize is that gays having more rights would not only make gays feel more like human beings, but it would also help everyone in our society.
The economic benefits of GLBT’s having rights would be huge. Since marriage is a $70 billion dollar industry, having gay marriage be legal would boost our economy $17 billion more dollars. An average wedding costs $19,000 dollars, so with gays and lesbians making up 5% (10,456,405) of the total U.S population having 250,000 more weddings a year would make the economy go up $17 billion dollars( Gay rights and the Economy). The economy would also get a big boost from more tourists. They would come to the states where gay marriage is legal, which equals more money. In the short time that San Francisco issued wedding licenses to same sex couples, more than 3,000 GLBT couples from more than 20 states traveled to California to get married. “Extending marriage to same-sex couples will boost Vermont’s economy by over $30.6 million over three years, which would generate increases in state and local government tax and fee revenues by $3.3 million and create approximately 700 new jobs” (The Williams Institute).
Children of GLBT couples would also benefit from gay rights. More kids would have safe homes to go to. Since gay adoption has become legal in more places, the number of foster kids has gone down. Also the children of GLBT couples would be better cared for. The child would have visitation rights, could claim inheritances or other household items in case of death. If one parent dies the second parent would be able to take custody. They would be able to register their child in school, and parents would be able to make medical decisions for their child. “One of the biggest challenges we face is the lack of legal recognition of a same-sex relationship. Things like being on the same Medicare card, small things that people take for granted. If we could legally recognize our relationship and therefore our children within that relationship, then things would be much simpler. But we’re currently not allowed to do that in New South Wales” (Kelly)
The people who would benefit the most from having the same rights as every citizen are gays themselves. They would be given rights such as marriage, protection from discrimination, hospital visitation rights, job security, property taxes, medical decisions, domestic violence protection, they would be eligible to receive spouse’s Social security, and so much more. “And let me ask you this. Is my family so different than any of yours? My son got sick. I called the hospital. Children do get sick, and we need to have healthcare coverage for them. We need to have services for them. Their parents need to be treated as equals to other parents in advocating for them. Marriage makes this possible, makes it possible for all our children to be loved and respected and cared for. If I were to die tomorrow, before May 17th, I would be ineligible; my partner would be ineligible, for social security survivorship benefits. And more surprisingly, to all of you, my fellow state employees who participate in the pension system, I am currently barred from designating my partner as my pension beneficiary. How am I to make sure my children will be taken care of, as you no doubt would want to make arrangements to take care of yours, if I am legally barred from designating him as my beneficiary”(Senator Jarrett Barrios and Doug Hattaway of Cambridge, Massachusetts.) Also, not only would gays have more rights but they would feel more like part of our society, not just outcasts.
There are many ways gay rights can benefit our society and make our country a better. Helping the economy, helping children and helping people love the country they live in are all great reasons for gay rights to be legal. There is no reason to not allow gay rights. Gays are not aliens from another planet. They breathe, walk and talk just like anyone else. The only quality factor that makes them different is who they to love. They deserve to be treated like human beings. They deserve equal rights.