Marriage Debates: Wyoming Tackles Two Tough Issues

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

29 Jan 2007 09:30 AM

This week, Wyoming's lawmakers will address two of the toughest issues in politics today, or at least two that tend to generate a great deal of emotion and controversy. State Representative Bob Brechtel (R), and Senator Gerald Geis (R) are in for some heated debate and confrontations. The House Judiciary Committee has endorsed Representative Brechtel's bill. The Senate Judiciary Committee has endorsed Senator Geis's bill. Both are slated for debate on the respective floors throughout this week, which promises to bring both those that support and those that oppose these bills to the state Capitol to be heard.

Brechtel's bill is titled, "Women's Right to Know," which obviously concerns the heated issue often couched in terms of "women's right to choose." While many see this bill as a good thing, ensuring that women have enough honest information to make an educated choice, NARAL and other "pro-choice" groups reject it. They claim it is nothing more than a foot in the door in the attempt to create a ban. Rep. Brechtel states that this is untrue and that his only intention is to help women "avoid injury and long term regrets" that might occur if they proceed without being fully informed.

With any other type of medical procedure full disclosure of risks, side effects, and other issues is mandated, so why not the termination of a pregnancy? One would think that groups that claim to care about women's rights would want women to have good information in preparation for both the physical and emotional issues involved.

Geis's bill, on the other hand, covers the hot button topic of gay marriage. The bill would stipulate that Wyoming would not recognize same sex marriages from other states. Many are for it, and of course, others are against it. One argument is that it's already a predominantly conservative state so there isn't much fear of gay couples rushing to move there.

Obviously, there will be much contention from all sides on both of these bills, because both affect the heart of society, the family.

More Marriage Debate Topics:

Marriage Means No More Dating Others (or Does it?)

Is Divorce What's Wrong with Marriage?

How Would You Deal with Polygamy?

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger