Approximately 250 students, staff, DU faculty and community members attended the marriage equality debate last week in Sturm Auditorium that focused on the question “Is equality of marriage good for the nation?”

Ron Schlittler, director of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) debated Glenn Stanton, the director of Focus on the Family.

Both spoke and presented their arguments for 12 minutes, then gave a five minute rebuttal to the other side of the debate. Both began their debates by explaining how important the marriage equality issue is for the nation. Schlittler debated that a flaw in popular thinking is that being gay is unnatural.

Gays have been damaged for years by conforming into something they are not.

The 2000 census reported that 3-5 percent of the population is gay or lesbian, which equates to about 600,000 same sex couple. 28 percent of these same sex couples have children.

“We’re at a unique time in history,” Schlittler said. He explained that government can’t take away a person’s human right to be happy and marry whom they want to. Schlittler continued, “These are real people, real lives, real relationships.”

One of Sclittler’s main arguments was that it is unfair not to allow gays and lesbians the tools of legal benefits that come along with marriage.

Marriages not only support a personal commitment, but also provide a number of legal and social tools for couples.

More than 1,000 responsibilities and benefits exist on the federal level. Schlittler also argued that gay marriage will stabilize the nation.

“It is an issue of fairness when it comes down to opportunities and options,” Schlittler argued.

He continued on to say that children are no different than their heterosexual counterparts.

Homosexual couples often times go out of their way to have male and female influences for their children, he explained.

Schlittler said, “The majority of Americans are against the idea [same-sex marriages], but I say so what?”

Stanton started his argument by saying that he agrees with Schlittler with the issue of marriage equality. “Everyone should have the right to marry under the law,” he said.

Marriage law has four criteria: you can’t be married already, you have to be an adult and marry an adult, you cannot marry another member of your family and you have to marry a member of the opposite sex.

Stanton explained that everyone should be allowed to marry under those laws.

Stanton said, “Marriage is about bringing male and female together. To allow same-sex marriages is to radically change the idea of marriage.”

He continued, “Marriage is men and women committing themselves caring for their common children if they should come along.”

One of his arguments was focus on children. Stanton argued that children who grow up with married mothers and fathers benefit more.

Marriage provides mothers and fathers for children. Having both a mother and father is vital so children can have both male and female role models in their lives.

“Children need not only good parents, but a good mother and a good father,” Stanton said.

He also compared same-sex couples with divorce families saying that in a divorced couple, kids are living apart from their mothers and fathers, just as kids do when living with same-sex couples.

Professor of Sociology AnnemarieB Vaccaro-Phillips said, “IB wasB pleasedB toB seeB soB manyB studentsB notB onlyB attendB theB debate,B B butB

alsoB participateB inB theB dialogueB aboutB gayB marriage.”

Audience members asked questions following the debate.