ANSWERS: 2
  • Well, a few things that come to the top of my mind: 1. They wouldn't have to worry about being shut out of visiting rights and decision-making should one of the partners have a serious medical emergency. Marriage (and equal marriage rights) gives that full access. 2. They wouldn't have to worry about relatives swooping in and destroying a life that they and a deceased partner have put together after many years, as they would be the primary beneficiary to their parter's estate. 3. Probably most important, they wouldn't have to hear hypocrites say out of one side of their mouth that "Gay people never have long-term relationships" and then work out of the other side of their mouth to foster and promote marriage rights discrimination. Having to fight such battles day after day can be straining on a relationship.
  • If legally married, gay, lesbian and bisexual couples would have a greater ability to care for and protect their families. Financial benefit, including: file joint tax returns; obtain joint insurance policies for home, auto and health; inherit automatically in the absence of a will; secure workplace and other benefits such as annuities, pension plans, Social Security, Medicare; enter jointly into leases and other contracts, such as apartment and car rental agreements; obtain bereavement leave when a partner or child dies; receive divorce protections, etc. In addition, there are many non-financial benefits: being able to visit one's spouse in hospital; being able to handle funeral arrangements of one's spouse; obtaining domestic violence protection orders; being recognized as as the next-of-kin for hospital visits; making medical decisions where one partner is too ill to be competent, etc.

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