Marriage is a social institution that has been a pillar of civilizations, as it has helped in the survival of the smallest unit of society. It is an institution that gives sanction to a couple to live together and produce offspring. While marriage between opposite sexes has been the tradition for thousands of years, there has been an acceptance of marriage between people of the same sex in recent times. As a result, we have gay marriage as well as another term, civil union, which is the legal term for marriage of people of the same sex. However, some argue that gay marriage and civil union are different in some aspects. In this article, we will explore these differences.
Gay Marriage
Gay marriage is a term used to refer to same-sex marriage. It is a marriage of people of the same sex or same sexual identity. More than a dozen countries worldwide have recognized gay marriage, with such marriage considered legal in some states of the US as well. The recognition of same-sex marriage is a social, political, and religious issue, with many religions rejecting such unions as against the law of nature and against the wishes of God. The topic of gay marriage has been a hot discussion, and the debate continues to rage over whether same-sex marriage should be allowed or not.
Civil Union
In 1989, Denmark recognized a marriage-like partnership between two people, whether of the same sex or not. This is not a marriage per se but receives legal recognition and grants rights and responsibilities to the couple, much like a marriage. Since then, many other countries have recognized the concept and allowed civil unions to take place in their jurisdictions. Individuals entering a civil union are entitled to similar benefits provided to spouses in a marriage. Civil unions are a way to grant rights and benefits to couples living in a marriage-like partnership.
Gay Marriage vs Civil Union
For an outsider, there may not be much difference between a gay marriage and a civil union. Both seem to give legal sanction to partnerships between people of the same sex. However, a civil union is an alternative to gay marriage and gives legal sanction to couples entering into a partnership, whether they are of the same sex or opposite sex.
When filling out forms that require stating our marital status, gay marriage provides the status of marriage, whereas a civil union does not. Gay marriage brings many federal benefits in its wake, while civil unions do not grant these benefits to the spouses. Some influential people worldwide are critical of civil unions, saying there can be nothing similar to marriage other than the marriage itself.
Key Takeaways
- Gay marriage refers to the marriage between people of the same sex or same sexual identity, while a civil union is a marriage-like partnership between two people, whether of the same sex or not.
- Gay marriage provides the status of marriage and brings many federal benefits, whereas a civil union does not grant these benefits to the spouses.
- Some people argue that there can be nothing similar to marriage other than the marriage itself, and are critical of civil unions as an alternative.
