Gay Marriage vs. Civil Unions
Gay marriage vs. Civil unions
People often wonder why same-sex couples can’t be satisfied with just civil union. They said this because they don’t really understand the difference. Gay marriage and civil unions differ in various ways. To start off, civil union lacks the automatic protections and peace of mind that marriage confers. Secondly, marriages are recognized worldwide, while civil union exists only in the state that the couple resides. The significant difference between gay marriage and civil unions is that only marriage offers federal benefits and protections. Marriages are far more beneficial than civil unions. In comparison, civil unions lack the automatic protections and peace of mind that marriage offers. To demonstrate, as civil unions, when one of the partners dies, the remaining person does not get to receive Social Security or any government benefits. They are left without any financial helps from the partner that they had been with over the years. In contrast to civil unions, when in a marriage, the couples are entitled to inherit their spouse’s Social Security payments or any other benefits such as pensions in case of death. In a marriage, the spouses are financially secured and have rights that protect them. Moreover, marriages are recognized worldwide, while civil unions only exist within the state the couple resides. For instance, a married couple can move from state to state, or country to country and they will still receive the same rights and protection that marriage confers. The word marriage itself is a kind of protection. (Kenneth) However, in civil unions, when a couple moves from the state that they live to another state, then they are no longer being protected by the rights that they had in their previous state. They are not recognized as a couple by the governments once they cross state line. Furthermore, the significant difference between gay marriage and civil unions is that only marriage offers federal benefits and
People often wonder why same-sex couples can’t be satisfied with just civil union. They said this because they don’t really understand the difference. Gay marriage and civil unions differ in various ways. To start off, civil union lacks the automatic protections and peace of mind that marriage confers. Secondly, marriages are recognized worldwide, while civil union exists only in the state that the couple resides. The significant difference between gay marriage and civil unions is that only marriage offers federal benefits and protections. Marriages are far more beneficial than civil unions. In comparison, civil unions lack the automatic protections and peace of mind that marriage offers. To demonstrate, as civil unions, when one of the partners dies, the remaining person does not get to receive Social Security or any government benefits. They are left without any financial helps from the partner that they had been with over the years. In contrast to civil unions, when in a marriage, the couples are entitled to inherit their spouse’s Social Security payments or any other benefits such as pensions in case of death. In a marriage, the spouses are financially secured and have rights that protect them. Moreover, marriages are recognized worldwide, while civil unions only exist within the state the couple resides. For instance, a married couple can move from state to state, or country to country and they will still receive the same rights and protection that marriage confers. The word marriage itself is a kind of protection. (Kenneth) However, in civil unions, when a couple moves from the state that they live to another state, then they are no longer being protected by the rights that they had in their previous state. They are not recognized as a couple by the governments once they cross state line. Furthermore, the significant difference between gay marriage and civil unions is that only marriage offers federal benefits and
Cited: Jost, Kenneth. "Gay Marriage." CQ Researcher 5 Sept. 2003: 721-48. Web. 28 Feb. 2012