Gays rush to marry at midnight

2007-02-19 12:12

Teaneck - Steven Goldstein and Daniel Gross were among the first gay couples in New Jersey to be joined together in a civil union on Monday as a state law granting marriage rights to same-sex partners took effect at midnight.

"It's exciting to know that in the coming days and weeks so many couples in New Jersey will get additional rights and protection that they couldn't have had 15 minutes ago," Gross said.

"It's not enough but it's a step in the right direction."

New Jersey became the third US state in December 2006 to provide equal rights for same-sex couples in committed relationships known as civil unions.

The state Supreme Court deferred to the legislature a decision on whether to call their relationships "marriage" and lawmakers opted to call them "civil unions".

Marriage the 'currency of commitment'

"Marriage is the only currency of commitment the world understands," said Goldstein, chairperson of Garden State Equality, a gay rights advocacy group, as he and Gross vowed to fight for actual marriage rights in the state instead of just civil unions.

Massachusetts is the only US state to have legalised same-sex marriage, which supporters say is necessary to establish true equality for homosexual partnerships. Connecticut and Vermont have civil union laws.

Under the New Jersey law, couples must wait three days after applying before being granted a civil union licence. Goldstein and Gross, however, took advantage of an exemption to the waiting period for couples who already have registered their civil union in another state.

Several towns opened their doors at midnight to couples who wanted to be among the first to apply for a licence for a civil union, which grants benefits such as adoption and inheritance rights.

- Reuters