Roman Homosexual Marriage

Since the beginning of civilization, same-sex marriage has been recorded. The Ancient Roman Empire was not hesitant toward same-sex unions, and there was a broad acceptance of homosexuality and bisexuality among the Roman citizens. Romans were not the only known early civilizations with same-sex relationships, evidence exists that same-sex marriages were tolerated in parts of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Artifacts such as a Pharaonic tomb was discovered, showing the union between Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep. In 1901, two women, Marcela Gracia Ibeas and Elisa Sanchez Loriga attempted to get married in Galicia, Spain, but to achieve it Elisa had to adopt a male identity. In the end, the priest who performed the ceremony found out, and

On May 18th, 1970, two men applied for a marriage license in Heppenin County, Minnesota. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Supreme Court denied their request because it violated common law. Another couple, Faygele Ben-Miriam and Paul Barwick, applied for a marriage license in Seattle in 1971. When the auditor refused their application, other couples that encountered rejection took notice. Helping ignite a media flurry. Maryland outlawed bisexual marriage in 1973. Two years following the ban in Maryland, Arizona and Colorado invalidated couple’s marriage license due to biblical reasons. Nothing major occurred in the United States during the 1980’s. However, in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, banning the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions. Enacted September 21st, the Defense of Marriage Act defined marriage as one man and one woman, and allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex

Unfortunately, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Kentucky, and Michigan are involved in appeals to rulings that deem their same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional. However, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a right protected by the U.S. Constitution in all fifty states. During a televised interview, President Obama became the first president to declare his support for same sex marriages.

Kimberly Jean Bailey Davis, a Rowan County court clerk, is a democrat who was jailed for contempt of court for five days when she refused to comply with a federal court order directing her to issue a marriage license to same-sex couples. Kim Davis states, she was acting “under God’s authority” and nothing more. Kim Davis was acting as a Christian and doing what she believed was right. Upon returning to work, she began issuing license according to the U.S. Supreme Court order and the issue was dropped. This controversy gained attention from the media and made Kim