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MsTinkerbelly · 01-03-2012, 11:03 AM

Civil unions come to Hawaii and Delaware with the new year
By Jacob Combs

Happy New Year, P8TT! Not only does today mark the beginning of what’s bound to be a thrilling and possibly wild year for marriage equality, it’s also an important milestone for LGBT couples in Hawaii and Delaware, where civil union laws passed in 2011 have finally gone into effect.

Government offices in both states are closed for the holiday, but in Delaware, New Castle County Clerk of the Peace Ken Boulden opened his office today by appointment to issue licenses. Earlier today, Equality Delaware President Lisa Goodman and her partner became the first couple to obtain a civil union in the state. In Hawaii, a district court judge denied a request by two churches for a restraining order barring the new law from going into effect. The churches are suing to have the civil union law declared unconstitutional.

In 1993, the state of Hawaii set off the marriage equality debate with a court decision ruling that the state’s law banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In the 19 intervening years, much has changed, and the arrival of legal equality in the Aloha State (and Delaware too!) is something to celebrate.

Along with many in the community, I find myself somewhat conflicted when it comes to civil unions. Of course, our ultimate goal is and must be full federal marriage rights: having marriages for heterosexual couples and civil unions for gay and lesbian couples smacks of “separate but equal” discrimination. Nevertheless, civil unions are an important stepping stone to full equality. Their impact is undeniable, and they bring real rights and protections that gay and lesbian couples deserve. (Of course, that’s only when the civil union law is well-designed–yes, I’m looking at you, Rhode Island.)

Furthermore, civil unions set the stage for judicial decisions like In re marriage cases, the California Supreme Court ruling that held in part that it was unconstitutional to prohibit gay couples’ relationships from being recognized as marriages, even though the state’s domestic partnership law granted these couples the same rights as opposite-sex couples. Civil unions could be the first step in other states to judicial decisions (or, of course, legislative action) affirming full marriage equality.

Here’s to a great 2012

01-03-2012, 11:03 AM	#850
MsTinkerbelly Timed Out - TOS Drama How Do You Identify?: ... Preferred Pronoun?: ... Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ... Posts: 6,573 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 30,737 Thanked 22,908 Times in 5,019 Posts Rep Power: 0	From the Prop 8 Blog...Yay Hawaii and Delaware!! Civil unions come to Hawaii and Delaware with the new year By Jacob Combs Happy New Year, P8TT! Not only does today mark the beginning of what’s bound to be a thrilling and possibly wild year for marriage equality, it’s also an important milestone for LGBT couples in Hawaii and Delaware, where civil union laws passed in 2011 have finally gone into effect. Government offices in both states are closed for the holiday, but in Delaware, New Castle County Clerk of the Peace Ken Boulden opened his office today by appointment to issue licenses. Earlier today, Equality Delaware President Lisa Goodman and her partner became the first couple to obtain a civil union in the state. In Hawaii, a district court judge denied a request by two churches for a restraining order barring the new law from going into effect. The churches are suing to have the civil union law declared unconstitutional. In 1993, the state of Hawaii set off the marriage equality debate with a court decision ruling that the state’s law banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. In the 19 intervening years, much has changed, and the arrival of legal equality in the Aloha State (and Delaware too!) is something to celebrate. Along with many in the community, I find myself somewhat conflicted when it comes to civil unions. Of course, our ultimate goal is and must be full federal marriage rights: having marriages for heterosexual couples and civil unions for gay and lesbian couples smacks of “separate but equal” discrimination. Nevertheless, civil unions are an important stepping stone to full equality. Their impact is undeniable, and they bring real rights and protections that gay and lesbian couples deserve. (Of course, that’s only when the civil union law is well-designed–yes, I’m looking at you, Rhode Island.) Furthermore, civil unions set the stage for judicial decisions like In re marriage cases, the California Supreme Court ruling that held in part that it was unconstitutional to prohibit gay couples’ relationships from being recognized as marriages, even though the state’s domestic partnership law granted these couples the same rights as opposite-sex couples. Civil unions could be the first step in other states to judicial decisions (or, of course, legislative action) affirming full marriage equality. Here’s to a great 2012 Last edited by MsTinkerbelly; 01-03-2012 at 11:06 AM.