Law Commons^™

A Traditionalist Case For Gay Marriage, Dale Carpenter

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

This article presents an argument for same-sex marriage within traditionalism or Burkeanism school of conservatism. The author begins by describing briefly Burkean conservatism. Second, he sketches, based on that description, a case against the recognition of gay marriages. Third, the author outlines an affirmative argument for same-sex marriage. Fourth, he reconsiders, in the light of those arguments, the Burkean case against same-sex marriage. Finally, he discusses what a Burkean conservative ought to say about the pace and the process for achieving same-sex marriage.