There are approximately 593,324 unmarried same-sex couples in the United States. Of these couples, 287,687 are unmarried male-male couples, while 305,637 are unmarried female-female couples. A homosexual is someone who prefers their significant other to be of the same sex. Same-sex marriage has been legalized in numerous countries around the world, including Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, and Sweden. The legalization of same-sex marriage in these countries has led other nations to be more tolerant of same-sex couples, giving them the same rights as heterosexual couples. According to the United States Supreme Court, marriage is a fundamental freedom and “one of the fundamental civil rights of man.” (Roleff, Gay Rights) However, the American Supreme Court does not accept same-sex marriages because there would be no possibility of having children. (Roleff, ibid) The ability to have children is very important to a society because it guarantees that there will be a future generation to come. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, numerous states are still violating the Fourteenth Amendment by denying marriage rights to gay couples. The Federal Marriage Amendment sets the bar against gay rights. The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) was also known as the Marriage Protection Amendment. This was a suggested change to the United States Constitution that defines marriage only as a union between a man and a woman. This amendment would overturn state legislation allowing same-sex marriage and would also prevent states from passing same-sex marriage laws. {FMA (1)} The founder of the Alliance for Marriage, Matt Daniels, wrote t...... middle of the document ......the 8 (3)}The Fourteenth Amendment is still violated because Many gay couples have been denied their constitutional rights by numerous states, even though the U.S. Supreme Court has found the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act has been held to be unconstitutional in many respects. Many states are violating the Fourteenth Amendment because they argue that marriage should be between one man and one woman, and the federal Marriage Amendment supports their claim. Many people strongly oppose the union of same-sex couples. Their strong opposition is validated by laws such as Proposition 8 in California. Supporters of same-sex marriage and the rights of those involved continue to fight at both the state and federal levels to ensure that these individuals regain access to their basic rights.