Out+of+the+Closet

__**Essential Question:**__ What does it mean and how does it feel to be gay in America?


 * __Challenge:__** Accepting gay marriage and gays rights in America


 * __Guiding Questions:__**
 * Why aren't gays, who are legal citizens whose rights are protected by the constitution, allowed to marry their loved one?
 * How does labeling a gay couple as married change the relationship that already exists?
 * What are the reasons gay marriage is considered unconstitutional?
 * Do people who aren't gay have the right to form an opinion on someone else's decision?
 * What is //__your__// opinion on gays rights in America?
 * Where in the constitution is marriage defined?


 * __Guiding Activities:__**
 * Quia Survey
 * A. Are you a male or female?
 * 133 males
 * 249 females
 * B. Do you approve of gay marriage?
 * 319 yes
 * 64 no
 * C. Why or why not?
 * 385 wrote 1-3 sentence justification
 * Those who are for gay marriage had very thoughtful responses.
 * All men are created equal.
 * Because I don't see how it's wrong, love isn't a disease. Nobody should be denied their right to marry the one they love.
 * Marriage isn't a privelege for a few people "lucky" enough to be born straight.
 * Love is love.
 * I absolutely support gay marriage because every citizen deserves to have civil rights, regardless of their sexual orientation. People who deny gay marriage are simply afraid-- Many love to hide behind religion. Ignorance is not bliss. It is costing many a couple their basic rights as American citizens to marry.
 * Those who against it seemed very naive and gave unnecessary, rude responses.
 * They are stupid.
 * Unecessary
 * God made Adam and Eve not Adam and "Steve"
 * Because it's gay.
 * Because gays are wrong!
 * Expert
 * Interview with Jasper, Advisor of the Gay/Straight Alliance
 * Online articles on gay marriage

__**Guiding Resources**__
 * Quia Survey - //this survey that was sent to the student body helped give us an understand of the percentages of the people who took the survey's opinions on gay marriage. we took these results and talked with our expert about them and then learned more about our statistics.//
 * __** Expert Jasper **__
 * http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5091994.ece - //this article helped give an understand of the struggle gay's have been going through. This discusses a case going on in California currently. We took certain points in this article and used it to help make our own cases.//
 * http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/pros_cons/gaymarriage/gaymarriage2.html - //This website helped us decided what points we wanted to make. This website has arguments for and against gay's rights, and gives reasons and explanations.//


 * __Solution/Action__**

All men are created equal