In June 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide. For decades, gay Americans lived in domestic partnerships and were unable to express their relationships in the same way that heterosexual partners could in the eyes of the law. With this major social change came a mixture of support and negative reaction. Those living in same-sex couples may finally get married, but at what cost? In 2015, approximately 40% of Americans opposed same-sex marriage (Mitchell, 2017). Even though it is now legal, many Americans still have negative feelings about gay marriage, which could affect how society functions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Although this event happened in the United States, it seems to have triggered a domino effect around the world. Since 2015, many countries have legalized same-sex marriage, including Colombia, Germany, Finland, Australia, Ireland, and Malta (Mitchell, 2017). For some of these countries, however, this social reform did not happen peacefully overnight. In Australia, talk of legalizing same-sex marriage has been met with angry “Straight Lives Matter” protests (Cooper, 2017). These events demonstrate that the legalization of gay marriage across the world occurred by deviating from the social norm. The traditional functionalist perceives marriage as between one man and one woman and as an institution for the purposes of financial stability and reproduction. Once people began to advocate for an alternative to this and began to deviate, they often found themselves faced with negative sanctions in the form of isolation, harassment, judgment, or even legal punishment. But continuing to break these norms pushed the boundaries of society to break down, eventually changing the laws. The feminist perspective also explains the legalization of same-sex marriage. Feminists believe in gender equality and sexual freedom and oppose the functionalist belief that marriage between a man and a woman is necessary to maintain social order. Feminists do not agree with the idea that the wife's role in her marriage is to take care of her husband and the home, and therefore do not support the traditional hierarchy that this institution puts in place (Guerrero, 2008). Therefore, proactive legislation in favor of the LGBT community is celebrated by many feminists. It is evident that with social reform comes many different reactions from individuals within society. However, research shows that increased education about LGBT issues and personal contact with those who identify as lesbian or gay is positively correlated with tolerance of gay marriage (Hart-Brinson, 2016). By understanding that ignorance is a big part of the reluctance to support same-sex marriage, perhaps society can provide more opportunities for LGBT issues to be taught and discussed. For example, sex education in America is predominantly based on heterosexual relationships (Jones, 2015). If young adults are exposed to ideas about the LGBT community in an educational context, this could allow them to feel more tolerant and accepting of what has traditionally not been the social norm for many years. In addition to educating the public, enforcing laws put in place to protect LGBT people is critical to preventing harassment and violence.