Homosexuality and bisexuality

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Same-sex marriages (SSM), civil
unions, & domestic partnerships

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We use the acronym "SSM" to represent "same-sex marriage"

Quotations showing the diversity of beliefs about SSM:

	Testimony at the Rhode Island Legislature's House Judiciary Committee: Angela Mazaris, with her same-sex partner and their infant daughter: "Please join us for our family meals. Come with us on our walks, and join us at our playgroup. Sit with us while we read Goodnight Moon and rock our daughter to sleep at night. And then, after that, look me in the eye and tell me that my family is not worthy of equal protection under the law."   Bernard Healey, lobbyist for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, testified that opposition to SSM is not a form of discrimination: "It has been and continues to be the consistent teaching of the Catholic Church as well as the existing state law that marriage is the union of a man and a woman."   Representative Frank Ferri, (D-Warwick), a married gay man, testified: "It is embarrassing and insulting that I have come before you again to beg for the constitutional right of Rhode Island's citizens to marry the people we love." 6
	"A loving man and woman in a committed relationship can marry. Dogs, no matter what their relationship, are not allowed to marry. How should society treat gays and lesbians in committed relationships? As dogs or as humans?" Anonymous posting to an Internet mailing list.
	"It is legitimate and necessary to ask oneself if this is not perhaps part of a new ideology of evil, perhaps more insidious and hidden, which attempts to pit human rights against the family and against man." Pope John Paul II, referring to same-sex marriage. 2
	"Marriage is a union between one man and one woman, designed of God to last so long as they both shall live." Westminster Confession of Faith 1
	"I guess I just don't understand how people can be so passionately hateful about something that won't affect their lives one bit." "Stew." 3
	"If everything is marriage then nothing is marriage." Benigno Blanco, vice-president of the Spanish Family Forum, 4
	"We are in a transition between a new consciousness and old definitions. The new consciousness will win but as with every human struggle to emerge from ignorance, there will be casualties long after the issue is decided." John Shelby Spong speaking about same-sex marriage.
	" 'Sexual orientation' does not constitute a quality comparable to race, ethnic background, etc., in respect to nondiscrimination. Therefore, it is not unjust, for example, to limit the bond of marriage to the union of a woman and a man. It is not unjust to oppose granting to homosexual couples benefits that in justice should belong to marriage alone. When marriage is redefined so as to make other relationships equivalent to it, the institution of marriage is devalued and further weakened. The weakening of this basic institution at all levels and by various forces has already exacted too high a social cost." United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 5
	"Limiting the designation of marriage to a union 'between a man and a woman' is unconstitutional and must be stricken from the statute," California Chief Justice Ron George who wrote the ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in California in 2008.

Overview of SSM in the U.S.:

The fight over interracial marriage is as close a topic to SSM as exists in America. In 1948, California became the first state in the U.S. to allow interracial couples to marry. Another 19 years passed before the U.S. Supreme Court changed the definition of marriage in 1967 and made interracial marriage available to loving, committed couples across the entire country, whether of the same race or different races.

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex couples to marry. California and Connecticut became the second and third in 2008.

in 2008-NOV, SSM in California was terminated by Proposition 8 which restricted marriage to one woman in a union with one man.  The Supreme Court of California ruled that Prop. 8 was constitutional. However, the court did not forcibly divorce couples who married during 2008 when marriages were available.

If same-sex marriage takes as long as interracial marriage to spread across the country, the process will take until the mid 2020s to complete. The author of this essay, having being born in 1936, does not expect to see it during his lifetime.

Aspects of same-sex marriage (SSM) discussed in this section:

	Introductory material: Introduction and Internet links  <<< Please read this first! Status of SSM and civil unions: snapshot as of mid-2005 Timeline of SSMs & civil unions from 2001 to 2004 Timeline of SSMs & civil unions from 2005 to now Current status of SSM and civil unions. SSM in Canada: an overview Harms resulting from: The denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples Same-sex marriage itself according to some conservatives
	Background material: Past changes in the institution of marriage Why are couples not permitted to marry? A related topic: the battle over inter-racial marriage in the U.S. Why do some same-sex couples want to marry? Is same-sex marriage a good or bad idea? A threat to the institution of marriage, or a beneficial cultural change? Rebutting arguments by conservatives against SSM Analysis of Family Research Council`s stance on SSM How do children fare with same-sex parents? One child with three legal parents: Canadian court decision Governments that recognize same-sex relationships Companies that extend benefits to partners of gay/lesbian employees Marriage benefits denied to gay & lesbian couples A sampling of opinions
	Religion and SSM: The Bible and same-sex marriages Marriage and family forms in the Bible and now Article in Newsweek in support of SSM (2008-DEC-15) TV ad by the National Organization for Marriage opposing SSM
	Laws in the U.S.: Legal aspects US court and legislative activity restricting same-sex marriage - DOMA laws The Nebraska DOMA law declared unconstitutional Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) to the U.S. Constitution An interpretation of the U.S. Constitution Will SSM inevitably lead to decriminalizing polygamy?
	Public opinion polls: In the U.S.: Single polls Repeated polls: On same-sex marriage On same-sex civil unions In Canada: 1996 to 2002; 2003 2004 2005 2006 Anecdotal comments about SSM
	Status of SSM, civil unions, etc. in the U.S.: Overview in the U.S.: Native American Nations: Cherokee Nation Coquille Nation American states   Alaska Arizona California The Pursuit of equality, a documentary DVD Connecticut * District of Columbia: Hawaii Iowa * Maine * Maryland Massachusetts * New Hampshire * New Jersey New York New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island Vermont  * Virginia Washington state Wisconsin Wyoming Issuing of SSM marriage licenses in various states in early 2004 Activity in other states * SSM legal or shortly to be legal in these states
	Status of SSM elsewhere in the world: Canada: Ten provincial/territorial court cases and one federal government decision This is a big section! Outside North America: Australia Belgium England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales Partnerships and reactions during 2005-DEC Israel Netherlands Norway New Zealand South Africa Spain Switzerland Sweden Other locations