Marriage Rights Vs. Civil Unions Rights
Same-sex marriage and civil unions are two topics that have been the center of controversy for quite some time now. As church, state and government bodies have attempted to establish the difference, this debate has raised more questions about what constitutes marriage, and how closely civil unions currently match, or whether they should match, the rights afforded to married couples.
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Defining Marriage
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The institution of marriage is a legal status recognized worldwide that gives couples many rights. According to the National Organization for Women, marriage gives couples 1,138 rights that are protected by federal and state law. Marriage may also influence Social Security benefits, certain tax benefits, insurance benefits, family and medical leave, the right to visit a loved one who is hospitalized and the right to make life or death decisions on that person's behalf.
Civil Unions
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Civil unions are a legal status granted by a small number of U.S. states. Civil unions provide couples with many rights and benefits similar to those granted to married couples within states that offer this legal status, but civil unions are not recognized by federal law. Although civil unions may offer many of the same rights as those granted to married couples, there are still many differences.
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State Recognition
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When married couples move from one state to any other state, their marriage is still legally recognized. But that is not always the case with civil unions. For couples united by a civil union, legal recognition depends on whether the specific state where they live recognizes civil unions or not.
Federal Recognition
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Unlike marriage, civil unions offer no federal protections, recognition or benefits.
State and Federal Taxes
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Married couples are able to file joint tax returns, influencing the amount of taxes they owe and saving the effort of filing separate tax returns. While certain states recognize civil unions for tax purposes, a same-sex couple must still file separate federal tax returns. Even in states that offer tax benefits to couples in civil unions, that protection generally does not extend to joint federal and state programs.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Ryan Georgi
