McKinley 1

Joshua McKinley
Lisa McCarty
ENG 111
24 November 2015
To Be or Not to Be: Gay Rights and Theirand Its Impact Effect
Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? I do. For centuries men
and women, star-crossed lovers, and happy couples have been tying the knot. With an in
disposable budget they throw the quintessential dream wedding with the perfect cake, perfect
venue, and the perfect dress for the bride. Now in the current year tides have changed. On the
twenty sixth of June in two thousand fifteen the Supreme Court, by a five to four decision,
legalized same sex marriage in all fifty states of America. After its legalization controversy has
come about. Three groups in Virginia, businesses, political groups, and religious groups, have
certain opinions on the issue. Are the effects of same sex marriage positive? Or are they tearing
apart what once was a peaceful state?
Businesses in Virginia who once served costumers of one genre are now seeing gay
marriage as a new venture and gain. In a matter of yearsyears, the Gay population is said to
generate a business revenue of approximately seventy two point five million dollars in Virginia
alone. The nations $51 Billion wedding industry, which employs over 800,000 people, now has
plenty of new market opportunities. Jasthi, Sreekar. The Economic Impact of Gay Marriage: A
$2.5 Billion Question Nerd Wallet. Nov. 12 2014. Web. 18 November 2015. The onset of same
sex marriage adds a second genre for companies and businesses. Although same sex marriages
are not extravagant. They are more frequent in the recent years than traditional weddings have
been. ThereforeTherefore, providing several businesses with the ability to generate extra income.

McKinley 2
Businesses such as caterers, floral shops, tailors/ tuxedo shops, jewelers, wedding planners, etc.
It would seem after the legalization businesses are seeing this movement as beneficial.
Every Sunday people of different religious beliefs gather together and
worship their deities. The religious groups are the gays opposition. They have been a big factor
in the cases that kept same sex marriage illegal. The religious groups believe that the same sex
marriage will deplete the integrity of our state. If we accept that social power works through
beliefs, through peoples deeply held understandings of the world, then it is all more crucial to
analyze their effects on people. Walls, N., Michael Woodford, and Denise Levy. "Religious
Tradition, Religiosity, or Everyday Theologies? Unpacking Religion's Relationship to Support
for Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Among A College Student Sample." Review of Religious
Research 56.2 (2014): 219-243. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Nov. 2015. People of
religion in Virginia have stated that the legalization of same-sex marriage has been detrimental to
our economy; mainly in a spiritual way. Religious Virginians opinion of the legalization seems
tends to be negative. They have seen it as a hindrance to our state.
Our country was founded on the basis of democracy. A government of
the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. However, in 2015 a couple things
have changedin todays world things are much different. We now have several political parties.
Two main parties, conservatives and liberals, who control our nation and state. Since the
legalization of same-sex marriage several people of gay status have been appointed in to office in
Virginia. This being said to add a little to our melting pot aura in Virginia. Conservatives and
Ddemocrats have viewed this issue and movement in very different ways. The democrats
Democrats swaying towards yes and conservatives swaying towards no. Tthe Cconservatives
believe that same-sex marriage goes against their religious freedom and is tearing that part of the

McKinley 3
economy down less churches are being built, less money is being made off of religious social
events. While the Lliberals stand behind the primacy that Americans should be able to live
however they choose as long as there is equality for each and every one. After the historic U.S.
Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly are
preparing to push back in what they call a culture war aimed at destroying religious freedoms.
Schmidt, Markus. After Gay Marriage Ruling, Virginia GOP Lawmakers Vow to Fight Back.
Richmond Times Dispatch. Richmond Times Dispatch. 3 July 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
The Ddemocrats are benefitting from the legalization. The Ddemocrats believe that with the
legalization has come along a larger number of sales taxes for the local government; p. Possibly
meaning more money for politicians. And of course all those purchases generate millions in
sales tax revenue for state and local governments. Badgett, Lee. The Economic Benefits of
Gay Marriage. PBS.com. Paul Solman. PBS. March 29, 2013. Web. 18 November 2015.
Although their views are vastly different, the democrats and republicans must agree to disagree.
Half agrees that it has been beneficial and the other half not so much.
Although everybody may have different opinions on the matter, they must agree to
disagree. Nobody will ever see eye to eye. But the world is not perfect. To wed or not to wed that
is the big question. Will it ever be fully answered? Whos to say for sure? At this point in time it
is allowed and its benefits seem to be outweighing the cons by numbers and facts. Businesses
seem to benefit, religious groups not so much, democrats seem to have benefited, and
republicans have not. The proof is in the pudding. Same- sex marriage has effected Virginias
economy in several different ways. Good and bad. Theres pros and cons to everything though.
Nevertheless its up to the people to decide. Everybody will be effected in a different way. Its up
to them.

McKinley 4
(932)
Works Ccited

Badgett, Lee. The Economic Benefits of Gay Marriage. PBS.com. Paul Solman.
PBS. March 29, 2013. Web. 18 November 2015.
.
. Jasthi, Sreekar. The Economic Impact of Gay Marriage: A $2.5 Billion Question
Nerd Wallet. Nov. 12 2014. Web. 18 November 2015.
Schmidt, Markus. After Gay Marriage Ruling, Virginia GOP Lawmakers Vow to Fight
Back. Richmond Times Dispatch. Richmond Times Dispatch. 3 July 2015. Web. 18
November 2015.
. Walls, N., Michael Woodford, and Denise Levy. "Religious Tradition, Religiosity, or
Everyday Theologies? Unpacking Religion's Relationship to Support for Legalizing
Same-Sex Marriage Among A College Student Sample." Review of Religious
Research 56.2 (2014): 219-243. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.