Eassy on Same-Sex Marriages

Same-sex Marriage a Business View

In today's society, the idea of same-sex marriages is in a way seen as being two-sided. Even in Roman times, it was considered a social normality and was highly opposed to the early Christian faith. The moral standards of today seem to be going in the same direction as what history shows. One of the questions that is new to the modern age; should Business owners and religious organizations have the right to choose if they want to provide services to same-sex marriages?

The idea of same-sex marriage is a topic that to some would be considered controversial as well as interesting because some people and countries are against it while others see it as being, "No big deal." To fully understand the idea of same-sex marriage, one would have to look at the earliest known accounts of such activities. (

"Evidence exists that same-sex marriages were tolerated in parts of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. None of the written laws of Mesopotamia, including the Code of Hammurabi, contain restrictions against same-sex unions despite the fact that marriages are otherwise well regulated.” (RandomHistory.com)

Early accounts of such an event occurred during the Roman Empire when the child emperor "Elagabalus" married his "chariot driver, a blond slave from Caria named Hierocles." Moreover, there is further possible evidence and theories claiming that ancient Greece fell as a result of homosexuality. (Greggle)

In other accounts, the famous emperor Nero had been doing such things in his lifetime. “The Romans may have accorded some same-sex unions the legal or cultural status of marriage.” (Eskridge) However, even then, the early history of Mesopotamia and in the days of the Roman Empire, many of the legal problems of the era existed even to the modern day.  In current light, this idea is still being challenged. We must ask, what legal rights these unions have access to and how restrictive are today's laws towards a business owner’s rights to serve or not to serve the homosexual population seeking marriage services?

To understand the social, moral, and economic problems associated with this known issue, one would need to study both the positive and negative concerns that occur in business dealings. With traditional marriages declining, serving same-sex couples creates more business and allows a business to earn a greater amount of revenue. Same-sex weddings add 25 billion dollars to local economies. (Marcin) Also by serving people of this type, companies can make up for losses in other areas. For example companies like Chick-Fila-A, who do not support same-sex marriages feel that it has no effect on their business because they see it as being a political agenda, as the company is privately held and family-owned with a strong focus on customer service. They also support education, various nonprofit organizations, and they are considerate of their employees. In total, even though the company may not support such ideas it has not set back their business because it is a matter of choice when it comes to the customer. (Chandler)

In one case in New Orleans, a Family Dollar employee harassed a client as a result of the fact that they were gay and thus refused to give them service.  Even though the employee had the sincere belief that she had the right to her actions, corporate put the incident under investigation. (Deberry) With the companies ruling, she may be transferred to a different position or even fired. As an additional result, a business could come under scrutiny for their discriminatory practices and therefore lose companies and the goodwill of the community.

In another case, business is known as "Caro's Cakes and Catering" refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. As a result, this led to a negative view of the businesses Facebook page even though according to the law in Louisiana a small business reserves the right to refuse service based on personal belief. However, in New Orleans and Shreveport and business is required to provide service and the ordinances have yet to be tried in court for counstitonality. Moreover, legislation has been introduced to allow small businesses to have a choice in such matters based on religious belief. (O'Donoghue)

      In a perfect world the customer aka individual can be effected in one of two ways:

1) If a business were not to serve a LGBT customer, it could be counted as being discrimination, on the other hand, the person could instead go to a different company that does or is willing to serve them. Like with the case of the Family Dollar employee, to a degree, her actions can be considered as understandable as she was backing her belief even if it did not line up with what the company wanted. The fight that occurred at the establishment could have been entirely avoided since the customer could have got what they needed at a different store.

2) In another case, this can also be counted as being a two direction discrimination act because not only is the customer being discriminated against, so is the business if it is on religious ground.  With this being said, it all comes down to a choice because no matter what the case may be, customers and businesses would face discrimination.

       In today's society, many companies are being attacked in a legal sense versus being given the right to choose.  In one way the government is overstepping its control in telling businesses how to operate. While in another example, the business is being discriminated against and forced to do as the government wishes.

In conclusion, it goes to show that we as humans are repeating history because the very problems faced in the past are the same as what we have today. How much influence should the government have in enforcing rules towards the small independent business owners when it involves ambiguous and unmeasurable beliefs in the public eye?

Works Cited.

Chandler, Diana. "Chick-fil-A to New York: 'no Political Agenda'" Baptist Press. Babtist Press, 10 May       2016. Web. 25 May 2016.

DeBerry, Jarvis, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. "Who Knew Family Dollar Cashiers Had the Power to         Deny Gay Customers?" NOLA.com. NOLA, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 May 2016.

Eskridge, William N. (Oct 1993). "A History of Same-Sex Marriage". Virginia Law Review 79 (7). The Romans may have accorded some same-sex unions the legal or cultural status of marriage.

Greggle, Laura. "Same-Sex Marriage in History: What the Supreme Court Missed." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 5 May 2015. Web. 25 May 2016.  < http://www.livescience.com/50725-same-sex-marriage-history.html>

Marcin, Tim. "Gay Wedding Economic Impact: Wedding Industry Embraces LGBT Ceremonies Amid 'Anti-LGBT' Laws." Gay Wedding Economic Impact: Wedding Industry Embraces LGBT Ceremonies Amid 'Anti-LGBT' Laws. International Business Times, 08 Apr. 2015. Web. 16 June 2016.

O'Donoghue, Julia. "Can a Same-sex Couple Be Declined Service by a Business in Louisiana? Yes, They Can." Can a Same-sex Couple Be Declined Service by a Business in Louisiana? Yes, They Can. The Times-Picayune, 04 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 June 2016.

"Same-Sex Unions throughout Time: A History of Gay Marriage." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d.  Web. 24 May. 2016 <http://www.randomhistory.com/history-of-gay-marriage.html>.