Same-sex marriage is a very controversial topic that has persisted in America for some time now. American society prides itself on providing equal rights and opportunities to all. Yet homosexuals continue to face discrimination and be denied their right to marry. It is often believed that “marriage is a commitment between two people who love each other and want to share the rest of their lives side by side. This is not measured by whether it is a man and a woman, or a couple of the same sex. This is measured by the extent to which a couple loves and cares for each other. » (Cheney, 2009) Looking at this definition of marriage, there should never be a reason to deny two people who love each other the right to legally express it. by getting married. Furthermore, the founding fathers of this great nation made it clear that every American should never be denied their natural rights and freedoms. These natural rights, which they inherited once they entered this world, are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When same-sex marriage is refused; a person's freedom to do what they want is disrupted, limiting their pursuit of happiness. The same marriage should be protected by the right to privacy as much as heterosexual marriage, because after all, whether you are heterosexual or homosexual, what matters when it comes to marriage is the desire to spend the rest of your life with the person you love. Marriage rights are fundamental human rights. Giving homosexuals the right to marriage, without judging them or excluding them from the institution of marriage, is simply accepting their human rights. Often people may think that a heterosexual couple is more "fair" than a same-sex couple, but that's not fair. A...... middle of paper ......icle=4510&context=flrEpstein, RA (January 1, 2002). Liberty, Equality and Privacy: Choosing a Legal Basis for Gay Rights. . Retrieved April 28, 2014 from http://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2228&context=journal_articlesDavis, d. (April 21, 2010). Same-sex marriage: everyone should have the right to love. The paw print. Retrieved April 29, 2014 from http://blogs.adams.edu/thepawprint/same-sex-marriage-everyone-should-have-the-right-to-love/Held, j. (2007, January 1). Gay marriage, liberalism and recognition: arguments in favor of equal treatment. Academia.edu. Accessed May 3, 2014, from http://www.academia.edu/265815/Gay_Marriage_Liberalism_and_Recognition_The_Case_for_Equal_TreatmentCheney, p. (nd). Sociology 1010. Chapter 05. Retrieved May 4, 2014 from http://freebooks.uvu.edu/SOC1200/index.php/ch05-love-and-intimacy.html