Legalizing same-sex marriage: Domino effect?

My marriage hasn't crumbled yet. WTF?

 

Vermont equalized marriage in 2000.

 

My marriage hasn't crumbled yet, but I feel more like a lesbian.

 

my woman friend and I are very happy, just don't see the point in marriage of any kind. You can legally do anything with out the paper.

 

This has always been true of common law couples, but not same sex couples who would otherwise qualify for common law marriage.

Question: does anyone know if common law marriage applies to same sex couples now?

 

I'm pretty sure that there are only a handful of states in the US that recognize common law marriage as meeting the legal requirements of marriage in the state and thus eligibility for state/federal benefits of marriage.

Somewhat related, earlier this year, the federal government began the process of changing the definition of "spouse" as it applies to federal benefits like the Family and Medical Leave Act and of course several states lead by Texas challenged those regulations. The recent SCOTUS decision will validate those regs and effectively kill the latest lawsuit.

I would assume that the new definition of spouse would certainly apply in those few states that accept common law marriage as legally binding in terms of access to govt benefits. I'm not so sure what would happen in most states.

Can a common law gay couple benefit from the FMLA in states where common law is not legally binding or recognized? I dont know.

Or I could be wrong about the whole legally binding issue.

 

The role of the state in recognizing the creation of a marital community is to extend certain benefits, which government must do equally, and in the event of the dissolution of that community to protect the property rights of the spouses and the welfare of any children that issue from the community.

The composition of that community is irrelevant to the state's role. To refuse to recognize a community based on it's composition is a violation of the equal protection clause. We recognize as 501(c)3 charities those which are chartered to assist LBGT people, do we not?

Doesn't Jesus say divorce is bad? Does anyone remember when Christian court clerks refused to accept divorce papers? Oh, yeah, me neither. The ironies just keep piling up....

I think the onion had the best take on it: Supreme Court On Gay Marriage: 'Sure, Who Cares' - The Onion - America's Finest News Source

 

On paper: No
By law: Yes
In practice: Unless those states issue some kind of instructions or revise the law there might be either illegal refusals to recognize the marriage or some trivial clerical procedure to challenge/change/circumvent the wording depending on how assholeish everyone involved wants to be.

At this point the answer to almost everything connected to this ruling boils down to a simple question: Who's stupid enough to try this shit again?

 

Michigan has never recognized common-law marriage, and Obergefell doesn't change that.

The same could be said for most other states.

 

Married legally seems to be the point. Same -sex is pushing hard. So you can legally assign any one person or two as beneficiaries on life insurance, name any person as a partner on medical forms, even in Oklahoma. You can legally represent yourself and get all legal benefits of marriage with some simple forms...yet Same-sex is pushing for the law to be changed. Isn't this what it's really about? Changing the law. This is not about qualifying for anything legal. And no I am not anti-LGBT.

 

There are hundreds of federal benefits that cannot be "legally assigned" by a simple contract between the two parties if they do not meet the federal definition of "spouse" including the aforementioned FMLA and in many cases, Social Security retirement and/or survivor benefits, veterans benefits, immigration benefits, tax benefits, etc.

 

Holy cross-dressers, Batman! Now this: Pentagon Moves to Allow Transgender People to Serve Openly in the Military

I mean I'm not hating on Trans people, I just did not see this coming!

[EDIT] - Although this may cause some growing pains and cultural changes within the military, it will be hilarious to watch the ultra-conservatives shit their pants and proclaim that the End of Days is upon us

RationalWiki's always-entertaining "What's Going On in the Clogosphere" section will be packed with new entries to giggle at lol
_

 

It's the end of the world as we know it... and I feel fine!

As long as a soldier is committed and physically able to achieve the mission; who gives a fuck?

 

But there is a "secret memo" from DoJ!

 

I can understand the gays wanting equal rights, but where does this thing stop? The next thing that you know the bestiality people will be up in arms wanting to marry their Shetland ponies. And what about the necrophiliacs? Hey, just where do you draw the line with unnatural acts being normal and acceptable? In my opinion this collected effort to achieve political correctness in the world stinks.

 

One of these things is not like the other:

Consenting Adults
Animals
Corpses
Rocks

/CollegeDebateTeam
/HighSchoolDebateTeam
/MiddleSchoolDebateTeam

 

Well...