In the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges, the U. Supreme Court ruled that all state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional, making gay marriage legal throughout America. The ruling was a culmination of decades of struggles, setbacks and victories along the road to full marriage equality in the United States. In , just one year after the historic Stonewall Riots that galvanized the gay rights movement, law student Richard Baker and librarian James McConnell applied for a marriage license in Minnesota. Clerk Gerald Nelson rejected their application because they were a same-sex couple, and a trial court upheld his decision.

Civil Marriage v. Civil Unions



The Difference Between Marriage and Civil Union
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What Are The Benefits Of Civil Unions? 6 Women Explain Why They’d Choose Them Over Marriage
The supreme court has recognised that women and men are allowed to have one, rather than just having the option of marriage as a legally-binding union. Why would someone seek to have a civil partnership, rather than a marriage, should both be legally available to them? Here are the differences between a civil partnership, which British same-sex couples have been able to have since December gay marriage was made legal in England, Scotland and Wales in



Before same-sex marriage was declared legal in , the concept of a civil union was popular. For politicians, it seemed like an interchangeable idea that required no legal action—but if a civil union was the same as marriage, why would the LGBT community have fought so hard for equality? When people marry, they tend to do so for reasons of love and commitment. But marriage is also a legal status, which comes with rights and responsibilities. Marriage establishes a legal kinship between you and your spouse.