http://unmarried.org/blog/2009/11/09/maine-domestic-partnerships-have-an-opportunity-to-shine/ Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:28:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://unmarried.org/blog/2009/11/09/maine-domestic-partnerships-have-an-opportunity-to-shine/comment-page-1/#comment-6974 Nicky Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:39:44 +0000 http://unmarried.org/blog/?p=427#comment-6974 Excellent point! When you say federal reciprocity I assume you mean that the federal government should recognize domestic partnerships, civil unions and same-sex marriages as equivalent to marriage under federal law. That would enable partners to receive federal benefits and obligations such as joint tax filing, social security payouts, etc. It is impossible until the federal "defense of marriage act" (DOMA) is repealed. Likewise, states that have passed their own "DOMA's" (some laws, many constitutional amendments - see http://www.unmarried.org/state-amendments-action.html) would have to repeal them before recognizing other states' unions. It's a mess! Excellent point! When you say federal reciprocity I assume you mean that the federal government should recognize domestic partnerships, civil unions and same-sex marriages as equivalent to marriage under federal law. That would enable partners to receive federal benefits and obligations such as joint tax filing, social security payouts, etc. It is impossible until the federal “defense of marriage act” (DOMA) is repealed.
Likewise, states that have passed their own “DOMA’s” (some laws, many constitutional amendments – see http://www.unmarried.org/state-amendments-action.html) would have to repeal them before recognizing other states’ unions. It’s a mess!

]]> http://unmarried.org/blog/2009/11/09/maine-domestic-partnerships-have-an-opportunity-to-shine/comment-page-1/#comment-6972 April Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:00:13 +0000 http://unmarried.org/blog/?p=427#comment-6972 I think this only works if there is federal reciprocity. In particular, I'm thinking of a couple that can marry in England, but whose marriage would not be recognized in the U.S. so the UK citizen is not granted any US citizen rights, a major disadvantage to homosexual couples. And there are also problems here from state to state (especially if more states illegalize gay marriage). How do we go about lobbying for that? I think this only works if there is federal reciprocity. In particular, I’m thinking of a couple that can marry in England, but whose marriage would not be recognized in the U.S. so the UK citizen is not granted any US citizen rights, a major disadvantage to homosexual couples. And there are also problems here from state to state (especially if more states illegalize gay marriage). How do we go about lobbying for that?

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