INTRODUCTION: The institution of marriage is highly respected and holds great sentimental value for most societies. However, not all couples are afforded the right to be legally recognized as a married couple. Couples of the same-sex are denied the right to have their marriages be legal in the eyes of the law. Same-sex marriage is an important issue because it deals with a relatively large minority of the United States. Gays and lesbians are rumored …showed first 75 words of 4034 total…

…showed last 75 words of 4034 total…Romer v. Evans, No. 94-1039 (U.S. filed Oct. 10, 1995). Retrieved November 12, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.smultron.com/us_court.htm Sullivan, A. (1997). Hawaiian aye: Nearing the alter on gay marriage. In R.M. Baird & S.E. Rosenbaum (Eds.), Same-sex marriage: The moral and legal debate (pp. 164-168). Amherst: Prometheus. Zablocki v. Redhail, No. 76-879 (U.S. filed Oct. 4, 1977). Retrieved November 12, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.smultron.com/us_court.htm