UC Berkeley Web Feature

What do you think about the legalization of same-sex marriage?

By Bonnie Azab Powell, NewsCenter | 24 February 2004

In San Francisco, just across the Bay Bridge from Berkeley, 3,253 same-sex marriages have been performed at City Hall since February 12. These marriages are currently not recognized by the State of California and are being challenged in the courts. As part of an ongoing effort to present the diversity of political viewpoints found at UC Berkeley, we asked a random sampling of students around campus their opinion of same-sex marriage. Comment

'I think it's about time, and it's fantastic that San Francisco is going against the grain and making it happen. I'm thrilled that the marriages haven't been overturned yet. It's both a political and a legal issue: the law has tools that should allow such marriages to stand, but politics will probably prevent people from applying the law that way.' —Jamie Popper, second-year Law student, from Glenview, IL

'I'm against it because I am religious, and it's part of my beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. At the same time, it's their free choice, I can't stop them, but it's my belief that the institution of marriage should not be changed to allow gay marriage.' —Daniel Torres, first-year Physics major, from Madeira, CA

'I do believe state laws should change so that same-sex marriages are recognized. Making gay people get civil unions instead of marriages is similar to the "separate but equal" arrangement — and we know from history how that doesn't work out equally. It's basically telling gays and lesbians that we're not accepting them into our communities.' —Kristen Koenig, second-year Molecular and Cell Biology/History major (intended), from Sacramento, CA

'I think it should be legalized because I don't think there's any basis for differentiating between genders with regard to civil marriage. I'm very liberal, and I'm not religious — so I think as far as the law is concerned, religion shouldn't play any part.' —Robert Lawson, first-year Cognitive Science/Film Studies major, from Silver Springs, MD

'I don't have strong feelings either way. It doesn't matter. I'd vote to legalize it, I guess. Other people's personal relationships are not my business.' —Dennis Cheng, first-year undeclared, from Hacienda Heights, CA

'Go for it. It's about equal rights. The overreaction to what's happening in San Francisco has been really strange to me — like we're going backward 40 years. It shouldn't even be an issue.' —T.E. Sadler, third-year Psychology major, from Seattle, WA

'I am against it. I'm Christian, and Christianity says no to gay marriage. I think homosexuality is wrong; it's not human nature.' —Duke Kim, second-year Mass Communications major, from Palo Alto

'Even in my family there are disputes about same-sex marriage. My religion says it's not OK, but I personally sympathize with [those couples'] frustrations. We should respect what other people want to do with their lives — whatever makes them happy, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. I wouldn't mind at all if it were legalized.' —Renee Lee, fourth-year Social Welfare major, from Laguna Miguel, CA