Opinion:   “Government endorsement and financial benefits should not be given on the basis of sexual behavior.



Fact:  Homosexuality is a sexual orientation, not a sexual behavior. The same is true of heterosexuality. That being said, this statement contradicts other arguments here that heterosexuals deserve the government "endorsement" of marriage licenses specifically because they produce children through sexual behavior. Both arguments are irrelevant, though, because the many couples - gay and straight-  who have no sexual behavior whatsoever are just as deserving of legalized union as those who do.

Homosexuality is a sexual orientation, not a sexual behavior. The same is true of heterosexuality. So, it can’t be argued that homosexuality is defined by sexual behavior but heterosexuality isn’t. Therefore, government endorsement and financial benefits are already given on the basis of what is labelled here as “sexual behavior” - heterosexual behavior.

This heterosexual behavior was mentioned earlier: 'the purpose of marriage is to encourage reproduction'. Most reproduction begins with sexual behavior, and would be denied government endorsement according to this argument.

But, more importantly, nothing about being homosexual implies necessarily that one has any kind of sexual behavior whatsoever. Homosexuality and heterosexuality are orientations, not sex acts. Not all heterosexuals have sex, and not all homosexuals have sex, even those desiring government recognition of their union. Much more could be said here about the resilient notion that ‘homosexual’ means ‘one who has sex with people of his own gender’. The reason no one has ever claimed their homosexuality began at age 24 is that homosexuality (and heterosexuality) begins long before any kind of sexual behavior. As we watch the agonizing struggles of pre-adolescent gay people around the country, and hear their descriptions of familial and cultural rejection, we should all be reminded that sexual orientation has nothing to do with sex.