Lesbian Civil-Union & Regular Marriage?
928400
illegal 100 percent\n\n:> peace\n.
877003
Since there are civil benefits to marriage, morally, it must be open to all.\n\nno one has a monopoly on marriage - certainly no one religion - although religious institutions do have the right to set their own internal rules, they should not be in a position to forbid others to do so.
659418
If they live in MA where gay marriage is legal then they can do everything that straight couples can do - get married, get divorced, remarry (each other or new partners) etc.\n\nIn other states gay marriage is not recognized although a few do acknowledge civil unions.  I'm sure that civil unions can be dissolved and then the parties can rejoin (I don't know what the correct term is for entering a civil union)
850864
Congrats on coming out!!...Although I totally agree with gay people being allowed to marry, we have to examine the political climate of what we're dealing with.  Anytime another group is pushed into a corner they are gonna be on the defensive.  This is what's happening with gay marriage.  Christians (being riled up by the Republicans) feel it's an attack on the "sanctity" of marriage.  I won't even try to get into all the ironies of that statement, but it is in fact how they feel.  The gay community feels that a fundamental right is being taken away and so the push for legalized marriage intensifies.  \n\nThe only solution for this situation is for the gay community to back off for "marriage" and to push for civil unions.  Having all the same legal rights, benefits, and legal consequences (divorce) as marriage..but not calling it marriage.  This would be a true separation of church and state, it would ease the Christians minds of marriage being on the attack and essentially take away any arguing points on the issue. It would allow the gay community to benefit form what straight people have been enjoying for centuries.\n\nUnfortunately we live in such a political charged atmosphere that such compromises have to made to get a solution.  It isn't necessarily right...but it's the best way for us to realistically achieve our goal of legal rights.  If the marriage push continues by the gay community it's only going to cause increased tensions  and our ability to enjoy equal rights will be a long time away.
965254
Good morning, dearheart. Good for you. here's my take on gay marriage. I've been married to the same wonderful lady for the last 26 years. She drives OTR semi for a living and I'm a housewife. We both wear wedding rings and feel as married as the next heterosexual couple but I can get none of her health benefits. How my union is hurting society I can't fathom as our relationship has been monogamous for all of it's 26 years and that same union has lasted longer than many heterosexual marriages. There are couples on the LGBTQ site here that have been together for over 40 years (which is a great thing in its own right) How can their love be hurting anyone? Good luck and Blessings on you.
602982
They can get married in Massachusetts. They can have civil unions in Connecticut and Vermont. I'm not sure where else they can marry though.
500328
the ULC (and all like organizations) is great but it has legally questionable status for the ablity to solemnize marriage in a few states such as New York, Virginia, and North Carolina.  A state in which the marriage would occur would help
527126
Okay- I did a Public Speaking presentation on same-sex marriage. (BTW, not only homosexuals want to get married to people of their own gender, bisexuals would like to do it too; if you use "same-sex" marriage, it's more professional, since that's what the news media has termed it recently.)  In the sources, I've put all the internet sources I used.  I'm not sure if this will help, since you didn't specify if it could be an online newspaper or if it had to be a print newspaper.  Good luck!\n\nNOTE: For the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (last link), I used Articles: 1, 6, 7, 12, and especially 16\n\n(PS- I can't remember where I found it, but I remember one of the pros was that married people pay more taxes, so that if same-sex couples were allowed to marry they'd be charged under spousal income tax laws and more money would flow into the government.)
691592
i havent read all the responses to this ques so sorry for any over lapping ideas.\ni am of the opinion that being attracted to the same sex is the most natural thing, and man woman marriage is a part of conditioning. well now that may be refuted. but marriage, relation or watever is a very personal choice. its like telling someone publically not to wear a bra but continue with a breif! i mean its ones choice whether he/she wants to b with a man a woman or both. if any one tries to stop this sort of personal desire or right, they are coming in the way of a person's regular life - and that my dear friends is the very basic threat to all our natural, basic and fundamental rights. this is the root cause of a lot of evil, disharmony and unhappiness to many people. live and let live. support those who want to b with people of their own sex. its healthy for them as well as people around them. being gay is like saying i'm happy, why come in someone's way of happiness? \nso yes...ultimatum - lesbian/gay marriages should be supported ad not banned. everyone has the right to a happy pesonal life that is spent in the loving wake of the one they chose to loose their heart to.
937742
In all seriousness, I know a lot of gay people that believe marriage is meant for man and woman, but believe they should at least have a civil union. they both contribute to each other except of course the reproductive aspect.
127996
This debate has clarified for me that the government shouldn't really be in the marriage business.  Let the churches perform marriages for whomever they think fit, and let the government simply record the marraiges or civil unions and grant equal rights to them all.  As for plural "marriages,"  they exist, but there is not a sizable part of the population which supports them.  That is a different debate for another day, and the issues are quite different.  In my mind, the purpose of marriage or civil union is to provide support to individuals, especially when they are raising children.  Some of the most monogamous couples I know are gay, and they are some of the best parents too.
582372
Here's a complete rundown from Lambda Legal Aid. I know it says Iowa on the link, but really it takes you to the California page.  At this moment California has an anti-discrimination bill and a state wide domestic partnership registry, but marriage is banned.  There is also a hate crimes law that includes GLBT people.  \n\nEvery other state is different.
767448
Hopefully sooner rather than later.  I have a link that outlines the recent history of the same sex marriage legal battle in California along with a collection of relevant links at the bottom.  Hope it helps!\n\nOh, and the second link is to a same-sex marriage advocacy organization in Cali.  Hope THAT helps too!
254438
Marriage as defined within Christian, Islam or Jewish tradition and teaching is between man and women only.\n\n\nGovernment marriage as seen by the issue of licence and state rights for that legal action, is governed by the state.  The living together and sexual acts have been found to no longer be illegal merely against normal moral values.\n\nso from the state it would be a state right issue, and so far every vote that states have had, has shown by large numbers that voters, most of the public don't want gay or lesbain marriage.  The areas like MASS that do have it, have it becuase of court action, not by the vote of the citiznes.\n\nSo basicly forcing an relationship not wanted by the general public as proven by vote, it is an example of fringe lobby groups forcing thier desires on the public by court action, not public acceptance.\n\nAnd for the unions thierself, in thier pretending to be a marriage they make a mockery of the real committed couples who are man and wife.\n\nBut personally, I wish marriage on them.  they already live together committing the sins of thier sexual actions.\nSo why not get the punishment of having to pay allomony, having to end up paying child support when they adopt and split up.  And having to give up 1/2 of thier property when they split up.
451544
living with Lesbians... but for pay!
246958
I could be wrong but I think it is only Vermont that does civil unions so far. The website is there site for instructions as how to do it who can get a union ect...
418160
I would like to first address the use of the term marriage in relationship to same-sex unions. Marriage is a religious definition in use for four or more thousand years to signify the union of a man and woman for the purpose of procreating and maintaining a long term relationship to raise the children of this union. It is also necessary to have this union to exist within a community. Marriage has at its' heart the goal of extending ones' heritage and history. \n\nThe Old Testament of the Bible which is the basis for Jewish Religion, combined with the New Testament which is the basis for Christianity and is a revered book of Islam support this  definition. With this in mind, same-sex unions do not fit the definition for marriage.\n\nNow laws that forbid same-sex unions have been in effect for this same period of time. The reasoning for this is that they do not serve  needs of the community and are viewed as deviant behavior in nearly all cultures that exist today.\n\nOnly in cultures that place the needs of the individual higher than the needs of the community, is there a tendency for homosexuality and same-sex unions to be allowed.\n\nLaws forbidding these unions exist in matriarchial societies as well as patriachial societies. Other reasons given for laws governing marriage and sexual behavior are to maintain the health of individuals within the community. Another reason given is that this behavior does not follow within the norm for the behavior for a culture.