Unfortunately, the difference between marriage and civil unions is far beyond a ceremony and title. There are over 1,000 benefits given to married couples. These rights range from the ability to file joint tax returns to the right to make emergency medical decisions. Civil unions, for example, only offer a third of those benefits. When we consider what lifetime partnerships really mean and what they afford us, the push for gay equality becomes much more clear. Why do gay and lesbian couples want full legal marriage? Here are a few of the important benefits automatically given to legally married couples, but not civil partners. So, before you decide if civil unions are enough, know the difference between full marriage and civil unions.
Back: 2006 GLBT Ballot Initiatives
Back: 2006 GLBT Ballot Initiatives