Judicial Activism: Same Sex Marriage And The Aftermath Of Proposition 8
WHAT GAY UNIONS DON'T GUARANTEE
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/business/yourmoney/01couples.html?pagewanted=1
The article illustrates the difficulties of gay couples, either married or in domestic partnerships where granted and recognized, that the married heterosexual couples do not face. One naturally assumes that the proponents of same sex marriage fight for their cause because they believe that the homosexuals are also entitled to this ultimate form of union called marriage where two people come together to form a family and any incentives and benefits attached to it. But the article seems to suggest that granting marriage or its equivalent to same-sex couples is only to the extent of social acknowledgment and legal labeling of their unions. As the title suggests, just because their union is termed "marriage", it doesn't mean that the same-sex couples benefit from all rights and privileges that heterosexual married couples enjoy. Author attributes this problem to the fact that gay marriage is dealt on state-by-state basis and there is no federal recognition of such union. Same-sex couples who are married or in domestic partnership are not entitled to Social Security survivorship or any other federal public programs/benefit extended to the heterosexual married couples. They must consult experts to plan out their future finance more carefully and must have their proof of civil union at hand at all times in order to take advantage of any social programs that might benefit them as a couple.
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