Thesis advisor: John J. Michalczyk / The traditional concept of marriage for the purpose of procreation is being challenged by one of the smaller states, Massachusetts, with the advent of same-sex marriage. With the court decision in the landmark case Goodridge v. Department of Public Health (440 Mass. 309 [2003]), the Massachusetts courts were forced to provide equal marriage rights to homosexual couples. With marriage rights being debated, same-sex married couples began to look at the impact marriage would have on their economic status. The government quickly passed both DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) in 1996 and FMA (Federal Marriage Act) in 2003 that specifically stated that same-sex marriages are not recognized within the federal government. Thus, homosexual married couples face problems economically in five areas: insurance and beneficiaries, taxes and governmental aid, estate planning and retirement, employee benefits, and children. Each of these areas has hurdles for same-sex couples; however, with guidance, some of these bridges may be crossed. In addition, one realizes that married homosexuals should have basic rights that are provided to heterosexual married couples. By looking at four different factual perspectives of homosexuals from Massachusetts, a more encompassing picture can be seen. By combining factual economics with humanistic qualities, same-sex marriage has a strong case in the courts. These new laws in Massachusetts are being compared to those of other states and the impact that this may have on the future. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2005. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Same-sex marriage has been heavily debated in academics and in the public sphere. During the 2004 Presidential election same-sex marriage became an issue that polarized the candidates. It has become a lightning rod for public debate. Due to the increasing attention to the controversy of legalizing same-sex marriage, it is an important topic for research. This paper seeks to contribute to the research of same-sex marriage by providing insight into claims-making efforts to define same-sex marriage as a social problem. My findings shed light on this topic from a social constructionist perspective by examining the use of rhetorical idioms of the claims made by opposing parties in the debate over same-sex marriage as it relates to the court ruling in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health.