It's Called Civil Unions!

To me if two people want to spend the rest of
their lives together thats fine by me. My mom
always said "whom ever I decided to marry
was alright with her cause she didn't have to
live with them." From a legal point of view
civil unions make all the sense in the world.
Check out the article below and shoot me
your opinion.

Diane Marini used to joke that she was always the bridesmaid and never the bride because, as a lesbian, she thought it was unlikely New Jersey would ever approve same-sex marriage. Still, she and longtime partner Marilyn Maneely campaigned for gay marriage. They were among seven couples who sued the state in 2002 demanding the right to marry. While their suit didn't lead to a gay marriage law, it has led to New Jersey becoming the third state to offer civil unions to same-sex couples.

The civil unions law took effect early Monday and some same-sex couples planned ceremonies later in the day. For couples who are not already in civil unions from other states, however, there is a 72-hour waiting period after applying for a license _ just like with marriages. A few town halls around the state opened at 12:01 a.m. Monday so couples could file their applications.

At least a few hundred of the state's estimated 20,000 gay couples _ those who have civil unions or marriages from other states or nations that allow them _ were automatically considered to be in civil unions in New Jersey at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
The ceremonies are bittersweet for Marini, because Maneely died of Lou Gehrig's disease in 2005, more than a year before the case was decided.

"I'm thrilled to have been part of the whole movement to show people who didn't know what marriage meant, why it was important," said Marini, who plans to attend one couple's ceremony next weekend and probably several more in the next few months





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