- 28 Mar 13, 11:08#352597The US Supreme court is hearing two cases that will heavily impact gay marriage. One from California that would settle the constitutionality of states banning gay marriage. The other is a challenge of DOMA (the very conservatively named Defense Of Marriage Act) That was signed into law in 1996. Stating that the federal government could not recognize a state marriage that wasn't between a man and a woman. In other words, the federal government, would not give gay married couples employed by the federal government, the military etc, the same benefits it gives a straight married couples.
So if you're a legally married gay couple. (in the US 9 states now legally recognize gay marriages and 30 states explicitly outlaw gay marriage) you cannot get benefits if your partner is killed in action, you cannot get health insurance through your spouse, you cannot get any types of benefits all of which are given to heterosexual married couples. You can't even be allowed to go see your spouse if they're in the hospital where only family members are allowed visitation, an estimated 1,100 benefits that can be denied gay couple because of this law the explicitly makes the federal government treat those marriages differently.
So it's the same "equality" symbol that has been used for years but turned red for the critical nature.
"I don't want to be part of a forum where everyone has differing opinions." Boom...