There are currently 16 states, including Washington DC, that allow same-sex marriage. The first was Massachusetts in 2003, but the initial concept of marriage was intended exclusively for opposite-sex marriage dating back nearly 60 years. When discussing the controversial topic of gay marriage, one should consider that if there were truly equality in the United States, then gays should be treated equally to those who are considered straight. There are many benefits afforded to those who are married, whether it be dealing with inheritance or tax breaks. Legally after the death of the spouse, all assets such as property, money, vehicles are gifted to the surviving spouse provided the deceased has not written otherwise in his will. While those who cannot marry cannot legally inherit their partner's assets without a written will attesting to this (inheritance law). Additionally, the standard deduction per person was $5,950, regardless of relationship status; married couples are often granted personal and dependent exemptions. These exemptions can be around $4,000 per person. For couples earning less than $110,000 a year, each person in the household is given a free tax exemption of $3,800 along with $1,000 per child. In other words, children are very advantageous when it comes to tax breaks. Why should same-sex people who wish to celebrate their love for each other through marriage be excluded from such benefits? If the United States truly wants equality, gay marriage should be allowed throughout the country (tax benefits). Marital bonding between two people should not be allowed only to people of the opposite sex. Tradition says that marriage is meant to unite couples, while procreation in the process... middle of paper... is a belief that will surely have its critics. The only thing we can do is look at what personally means the most. Is it equality of sexual orientation rights in the United States? Or is it for trivial reasons, like it's unnatural and "it scares me?" These arguments are unintelligent and should not even be considered as a premise of the opposition. Works Cited "Inheritance Law and Your Rights." Findlaw. Np, nd Web. December 9, 2013. Kennedy, Dorothy M., and Jane E. Aaron. “Gay Marriage: Social Suicide.” The Bedford Reader. By XJ Kennedy. 11th ed. Boston: St. Martin, 2012. 576-578. Print.Kennedy, Dorothy M. and Jane E. Aaron. "What's wrong with gay marriage?" The Bedford Reader. By XJ Kennedy. 11th ed. Boston: St. Martin, 2012. 570-572. Print."Many tax benefits increase due to adjustments for inflation." IRS. Np, 4 August 2012. Web. 10 December. 2013.