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Gays rush to marry at midnight
19/02/2007 12:12 - (SA)
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.
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