Pedone 3

mony that binds the marriage by an exchange of vows in a civil or religious rite, in front of witnesses.

After the ceremony the marriage license must be recorded at the local city clerks oflice

lbr the record and also for vital statistics.

Legally same sex couples fit the criteria for marriage. As long

as the same-sex couple

properly follow the necessary criteria for a marriage, they should have the same rights and obligations that come along marriage. The issues or rights involved with any marriage can be critical

to life and family. For example, if a spouse has health insurance through their job and the other

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spouse doesn't, the spouse that doesn't have coverage can be covered under their partners,

if they

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I-V.S

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are

married.ftfr could

mean the difference between

life and death if someone get's seriouslv') illl1

This issue is so controversial becawe the people opposed to same-sex marriage contend
marriage should be between a man and woman alone. From what I have read, and the same-sex
married couples I have met, these couples are not looking to change traditional marriage, they

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.just want to have the same legal rights as heterosexual couples do. fihe right to make a
death decision for a spouse when terminally

life axd

ill, along with many other benefi{},lso, the biggest

opposition was because same-sex partners are unable to procreate and the couples who come into
a same-sex marriage with children are depriving &em of a "mother or father.o'There are many

children who need a family and adopting is something many same-sex partners do that helps the
lives of numerous children. There are also ways in wtrich a woman, married to a woman, can
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have a child, lif,e in-vetro-fertilization. Denying a couple marriage because they can't have chilI

dren seems a bit cruel. There are plenty of heterosexual woman who are unable to have children,

should they be denied the right of marriage as well? As far as denying children a

*mother or fa-

ther" there are countless children born who never meet their father or mother. Many also that

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