MECA EDUCATIONAL GUIDE

WHY MARRIAGE?

because, " Anything Less Is Less Than Equal"

TODAY, Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 same-sex couples are not allowed to marry in any state - no matter how long they have been together, no matter how committed their relationship, and no matter how much their families need the protections, benefits and responsibilities that come with civil marriage.

Civil marriage is a basic and fundamental right as well as a private and public commitment of love and support by adult couples. Marriage provides a gateway to hundreds of protections, responsibilities and benefits established by the State and Federal government. The choice of whether or not to marry is a personal decision in our society, except when the State forbids adults from marrying because of their sex and sexual orientation.

On a daily basis, same-sex couples face challenges unknown to married opposite-sex couples. For instance, visiting a loved one in the hospital, applying for immigration and residency for partners from another country, and having joint parenting, adoption, foster care, custody, and visitation, etc., are all concerns for many gay and lesbian families. And since many same-sex couples already have families, the inability to enter into a civil marriage can sometimes be very stressful on both parents and children. No domestic partnership or civil union or private agreement can duplicate the legal status of marriage.

The marriage of two adults of the same sex who seek to make a lifetime commitment to one another takes nothing away from the marriages of anyone else. In societal terms, the movement for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples is actually a recognition of the importance and power of marriage. In personal terms, marriage may be a celebration of commitment. It lets a spouse make decisions about the medical care of a partner who is disabled. It enables the couple to organize their financial affairs as a single unit for economic, tax and insurance purposes. It means others can recognize their family and the commitment the couple has made to one another.

Those who are fighting for the legal recognition of our families are not asking for anything special or different. Simply, the desire for equality, not second-class citizenship, is what this struggle is about. The above couple, Marvin and William celebrated their 47th anniversary on Arpil 1, 2001. They live in Hayward, CA.

As you continue to read through this website, we hope you learn much of what there is to know around the issue of marriage equality for same-sex couples. And if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.