HELD: Denying committed same-sex couples the financial and social benefits and privileges given to their married heterosexual counterparts bears no substantial relationship to a legitimate governmental purpose. The Court holds that under the equal protection guarantee of Article I, Paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, committed same sex couples must be afforded on equal terms the same rights and benefits enjoyed by opposite-sex couples under the civil marriage statutes. The name to be given to the statutory scheme that provides full rights and benefits to same sex couples, whether marriage or some other term, is a matter left to the democratic process.
As I have thought before, they can call it fruit loops for all I care, just as long as I have the same rights and obligations of my heterosexual counterparts.
I guess I now will need to go find my fruit loop and head to New Jersey.
A.B.
2 comments:
Gotta Respect NJ for that.... This is the means for real change. The fact that it will have to go through the legislative process should solidify our gains. :-D
Great to see babel with you last night. Thanks for the beve at g.
As sad as it is that gay couples are denied benefits of marriage, I think our government is simply thinking of the costs to them. Or that should be the only basis to refuse gay marriage. For one, the decrease in the tax base because of couples filing jointly, an increase in the amount of traffic through family courts, and of course, the cost to business's when they have to provide benefits to a GSO. I'm straight, and I can tell you right now, that you might think it's a bad thing to never have the government acknowledge your relationship, I say I think you should count your blessings. You will not have to wind up in court over the only things they can adjucate in a divorce: money. You can do a civil and it can be a religious and emotional experience. IMHO, getting the Catholic Church, or other churches to perform and acknowledge gay unions is much more important.
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