As New Hampshire is poised to become the sixth state to approve same-sex marriage, experts in both camps agree the law would give few unique legal rights to gay and lesbian couples that they lacked with civil unions alone.
The federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 sees to that, blocking 1,138 marital rights and protections for homosexual couples even in states where same-sex marriage is legal.
...In March, GLAD filed a federal lawsuit in Boston challenging the denial of benefits under the Defense of Marriage Act for eight married couples and three surviving spouses living in Massachusetts.
The suit notes Congress adopted DOMA before same-sex marriage was legal in any state and claims it violates the equal protection clause under the Constitution. They advised supporters on their Web site that the lawsuit route could succeed before DOMA is ever taken off the books.
"While President Obama supports the repeal of DOMA, given the current wars, economic conditions and a host of other issues . . . many political experts believe that repeal of DOMA Section 3 is unlikely to happen in the next four years,'' they advised.
If this lawsuit prevails, only couples in states where same-sex marriage is legal would get these benefits, Baxley noted.
Rights at heart of marriage issue - Nashua Telegraph
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Promoting public awareness of the need for fairness in immigration policy particularly as it relates to the rights of same-sex bi-national couples in the United States who seek equal immigration rights; Providing information regarding political issues relating to gay immigration equality issues, rights and policy.
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