Illinois civil union law not just for same-sex couples

I was thrilled with the new Illinois civil union law. Not only am I among the minority who has no problem with getting a civil union instead of a marriage (neither is available in New York!), but I’d like to see civil unions available for any two people, as they now are in Illinois. It can benefit seniors, for instance, of same or opposite sex, who choose not to marry for whatever reason. Perhaps it’s an aging widow and widower who don’t want to re-marry but do want the legal protections. Or someone and their best friend who they plan to share their life with. There are any number of scenarios now available with the Illinois law I’d like to see expanded across the country. While I am a marriage equality advocate and would like nothing more than to see it pass in my home state so Frank and I could get married here, I would like just as much if not more to see civil unions for all – which, believe it or not, is even less likely than same-sex marriage to happen any time soon. From TribLocal.com: How often had I said “Not in my lifetime”, and yet, on June 1, 2011, Illinois will start recognizing LGBT families and other families who have previously been denied recognition via a civil union document issued by county clerks. Most who will get civil unions will be same-sex families, but there will be seniors and disabled families who couldn’t get married because of social security and pension “rules”. The civil union law is a compromise that sets up a two-tiered system in Illinois law. Vermont was the first state to establish civil unions back in 2000. Since that lead, many states have passed civil union laws, domestic partnership laws, “everything but marriage” laws, and equal marriage laws. Other state legislatures continue to debate civil union and equal marriage laws. It’s an evolutionary process that will be resolved when the federal government decides equality is a good thing . For now, two tiers are better than total exclusion. Continue reading]]>