Gay Rights in America In American society today, 3.8% of the population is gay, lesbian, or bisexual. With only 17 of the 50 states legalizing and recognizing this type of relationship (“History…”), same-sex couples are required to publicly declare their love with the promise of marriage. Same-sex marriages should be legalized because everyone has equal rights of freedom. Throughout America's recent history, gay marriage has always been an issue. With the different opinions and morals that everyone has on the topic, it makes it difficult for individual states to determine which side they should be on. In 1983, a Harvard Law School student, Evan Wolfson, wrote a thesis asserting the rule of marriage equality. The judges concluded that gay couples were entitled to the legal benefits of civil marriage; and, above all, in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, whose favorable ruling, in a lawsuit brought by attorney Mary Bonauto and the Boston-based Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, led to the first true same-sex marriages of the nation…” (“Gay Marriage Turns 10 and Credit Should Be Spread - The Boston Globe). On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage. In June 2013, California legalized gay marriage, which helped their large LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. (“History and chronology of freedom…”). When that finally happened, it was seen as a great achievement by Karmala Harris, a California lawyer. “This is a profound day for our country, and it's just the right thing: 'Justice has finally been served'” (“Court OKs Gay Marriage in California”). On May 12, 2014, President Obama spoke on the Gay Civil Rights issue. “You will see a tim...... middle of paper....... Constitutionally the reason for marriage is strictly reproductive. (“Why same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.”). This would make the barren woman unable to marry. However, marriage is both a right and a privilege that everyone deserves to have. Gay marriage is protected by the Constitution's commitment to freedom and equality in how each of us chooses to live our lives, because it is their life. With economic support, rising adoption rates, and equality for same-sex couples, gay marriage deserves to be legalized across the nation and world. Denying these couples the right to marry harms them and the way they live their lives. Everyone deserves marriage and life equality despite the person they love because we have equality rights based on us as individuals, not who we decide to love.