Comment & Debate
“Civil Unions Are Not Enough. Six Key Reasons Why.” Lambda Legal: “Imposing Civil Unions Creates More Harms Outside The State. The federal government and some other states disrespect same-sex married couples when they cross state lines or deal with federal taxes or social security. When a couple’s own state creates a separate status for them, it makes them even more vulnerable. As a result, same-sex couples are increasingly avoiding tourist destinations in states that bar them from legal protections, and national membership organizations and multi-state employers have begun to consider policies that avoid planning conventions, conferences or meetings in states where some members or employees may not feel that they are adequately safe as a legal matter (see the Safety Scale below). The more vulnerable couples are, the more time, trouble and expense for them to get protective legal documents (see the life-planning toolkit below).”