The city clerk's office in New York will begin conducting domestic partnership ceremonies for gay couples starting Thursday.
For more than a decade, the office has handed out certificates for such couplings.
But after the city rules were amended earlier this year, the office decided to add a little fanfare to the unions and conduct marriage-like ceremonies for the pairs.
While domestic partners in New York don't enjoy all the rights that married couples do, such unions can bestow some legal rights - such as hopital visitation and health benefits.
Marriage for gay couples is still unrecognized in the state. In December, the state Senate rejected bill legalizing such marriages.
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Take away the Word Marriage from the Federal Government and keep it in the church, if you want to be reconginized by the Federal and State Governments then everyone should get a civil union. Problem Solved Case Closed.
OneForChrist is a complete idiot. What backward, upside down book is he reading and exactly where did you get your "facts"? I don't have AIDs, I don't spread disease, I have been monogamous for 15 years and I don't even like kids.
What ever happened to separation church and state!
Will California legalize cannibis? I bet that will pass and I'll be allowed to smoke it in California before I can be united by civil union with my partner.
At least, I can be separated from my partner without the high cost of a divorse lawyers! You straight fools make less income per capita that gays but don't mind throwing away what you have on your divorse lawyers! That's so smart!
What ever happened to separation church and state!
Will California legalize cannibis? I bet that will pass and I'll be allowed to smoke it in California before I can be united by civil union with my partner.
At least, I can be separated from my partner without the high cost of a divorse lawyers! You straight fools make less income per capita than gays but don't mind throwing away what you have on your divorse lawyers! That's so smart!
How is it going down the drains?
The same way it went down the drains when blacks were freed?
The same way it went down the drains when women were allowed to vote?
The same way it went down the drains when blacks got equal rights?
The same way it ........you get the point. This isn't going to affect your life, get over it.
Better call Joe Plumber.
And, how exactly does the act of uniting two people in a committed relationship affect you personally? I didn't think so.
@Brian8907 – No the same way Sodom and Gomorrah went down the drain
@No Way: Yes the country is going down the drain, by allowing people like you to live in it!
Brian8907
Gay is not a race, or a gender. Quit trying to make this a Civil Rights issues.
Congratulations! A civil rights issue is exactly what it is! The culture war about gay being a "choice" was lost long ago. Also, did you know MTV no longer plays many videos?
Just hang in there No Way. We will have the last laugh one day.
This country is going down the drains because it is finally offering some type of equality? Huh! I thought equality was a progressive idea. Silly me!
Brian,
It's going down the drains when crap like this makes it to CNN's front page. Hello? "hopital"?? "condem"?? A bunch of High School kids could spell better than these idiots. And we'd probably get less biased news as well.
Please go down the drain with it. Your way of thinking is out dated. This country will be a better place once you are gone.