Equal Rights for All Gay marriage has always been a subject of great controversy. Andrew Sullivan addresses this question in his compelling essay “Let Gays Marry.” Sullivan's essay appeared in Newsweek in June 1996. Through the problem/solution structure of this essay, Sullivan uses rhetorical appeals to attempt to persuade the public to accept same-sex marriage as a natural part of life. Sullivan, editor of The New Republic, also wrote Virtually Normal: An Argument about Homosexuality (26). Andrew Sullivan, himself openly gay, is a devout Catholic who has spent his life researching topics involving the gay community. His articles are simply ways for him to show his feelings to the general public. His audience for “Let Gays Marry” is the general public, but might be more specifically written for gays who are too afraid to defend gay rights to marry. He may have written this essay to inform the public about how gays feel about the issue of marriage, but also to encourage gays to stand up for their rights as Americans. “Let Gays Marry” is structured in a problem/solution format. Sullivan addresses the issue of gays not being able to legally marry and offers a solution to the American people. He addresses the problem that homosexuals are not treated the same as other Americans when it comes to marriage and proposes that same-sex marriages become legal in order to solve this problem (26). Sullivan also knows that Americans believe that same-sex marriage would be contrary to religious values ​​(26). He then explains that gays do not want to change other people's beliefs, but simply want to live happily like other married couples in the United States (26). The latest issue is addressed...... middle of paper ......rica has changed (26). Marriage has come a long way over the past century and is expected to continue to modernize with the American people. Andrew Sullivan uses many strategies to try to fully inform his audience about the rights of the gay community. Sullivan uses rhetorical appeals to persuade his audience to understand his views on same-sex marriages. Sullivan successfully shows his side of the argument and confronts the flaws that others might see with his opinions. Using his problem/solution format, Sullivan addresses the problems that many Americans believe would accompany the legalization of same-sex marriages. Through his essay, Sullivan hopes to show the general public that legalizing same-sex marriage is a natural step that must be taken in order to support America's growth. Works Cited Sullivan, Andrew. “Let gays get married.” Information week of June 3 1996: 26.