REAL
Issues
surrounding the arguement for
Marriage Equality.
One of our goals is to demystify the issue.
The issue is about love, of course,
but it is also about
security, responsibility, dignity, protection and, yes.... religious freedom!
In New York alone there are 1,324 rights and responsibilities protected by law for a married couple.
So, let's look at some of the current myths surrounding same sex marriages... and why it is that
the LGBT community
wants what the straight community has...
REALITY; Marriage is a CIVIL RIGHT. The government, not religious institutions, issue marriage licenses.
REALITY; We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for EQUAL treatment. No other group of people have ever had their relationships designated as "less than" or "different from" the marriages of other members of society since miscegenation laws were deemed unconstitutional and abolished in 1967.
REALITY ; For the cost of a marriage license, ($40.00 in Buffalo, NY) a couple is instantly protected. They have the 1,324 rights that are included with that piece of paper... some of which are laws governing the rights of inheritance, which includes marital assets. Even after a LGBT couple pays an attorney to draw up agreements on their behalf, those same documents can be disputed and dismissed in a court of law, if a family member wants to contest the couples wishes.
REALITY ; Unfortunately, LGBT couples are being prevented from practicing their religion and exercising their religious beliefs, because they are not allowed to fulfill the doctrines of their communties of faith by committing to a monogamous relationship through marriage. Churches have always had the right to decline when asked to perform a ceremony for a straight couple if it felt that it was contrary to the belief system held by that church. (Case in point... Catholics, 'Mormons', Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses all have specific requirements that must be met before a marriage can be performed.)
Why would this suddenly change just because LGBT people could legally marry?
REALITY; LGBT couples are required to complete the adoption process TWICE, to insure the rights of both parents and secure protection of the children...a costly process that is not required of straight couples adopting children. Once again, the issue of asset protection for the surviving family members in the event of a tragedy becomes obvious.
REALITY ; Only a handful of companies do. But even with domestic partner benefits, LGBT couples and families are still required to carry proof of medical proxy. This can be a major issue when traveling since a proxy must be filled out for each member of the family, in each state in the union, and is not valid from state to state. Often the "non-birth parent" is at risk when seeking treatment for a child while waiting for completion of the "second parent" adoption. Additionally, LGBT couples often find that even with a proxy in hand, they are asked for information for the "next of kin" in an emergency situation. As a legally married couple, they would never be told to wait in the other room as the spousal rights would be respected and proxies would be unnecessary.
