Introduction
Ken Heard, left, and Martin Padgett, partners for 25 years, hold up their marriage license at Toronto City Hall after they became the first same-sex couple to legally marry in Canada. (Getty Images/David Lucas)
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Gay-rights advocates are intensifying efforts to gain legal recognition for same-sex unions, but the campaign is drawing strong resistance from social conservatives. Supporters of same-sex marriage say gay and lesbian couples need and deserve the same symbolic and practical benefits for their relationships enjoyed by heterosexuals. Opponents say recognizing same-sex unions will hurt traditional families at a time when marriage is already suffering from divorce and other social trends. The opposing groups also disagree sharply on the effects of raising children in gay households. A Massachusetts court is expected to rule any day on a suit seeking legal recognition of gay marriage. Meanwhile, President Bush is seeking ways to define marriage through federal law solely as the union of a man and a woman.
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Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Individuals |
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Mar. 15, 2013 |
Gay Marriage |
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Mar. 01, 2011 |
Gay Rights |
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Sep. 18, 2009 |
Gays in the Military  |
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Sep. 26, 2008 |
Gay Marriage Showdowns  |
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May 05, 2006 |
Transgender Issues |
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Oct. 01, 2004 |
Gays on Campus |
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Sep. 05, 2003 |
Gay Marriage |
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Apr. 14, 2000 |
Gay-Rights Update |
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Mar. 05, 1993 |
Gay Rights |
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Sep. 04, 1992 |
Domestic Partners |
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Jun. 29, 1984 |
Gay Politics |
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Mar. 08, 1974 |
Homosexual Legal Rights |
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Jul. 10, 1963 |
Homosexuality: Morals and Security |
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