(no subject)
Jun. 27th, 2013 08:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vik_thorWell, yesterday was obviously a big day here in the USofA, with the Supreme Court invalidating a major part of the Defense of Marriage Act, and stating that the private group that pushed through California's Prop8 doesn't have the standing to defend it, if the state doesn't want to.
Obviously, both are good, but the one that will be having the most effect on us will be the DOMA decision. We do have a Civil Union in Vermont (just looked at certificate, this year will be our 9th anniversary!) I am able to have Seph on my insurance at work thanks to that. However, the amount of his insurance is counted as income on my check, and I have to pay taxes on that amount. The biggest effect I'm hoping this will have will be that our insurance gets treated the same as straight couples.
I m VERY thankful that I have been able to have him on my insurance through CBS pretty much since I started with them full time (as opposed to a temp worker). He contracted MRSA the first year he was covered, and was in the hospital for a couple weeks I think. I think all we had to pay out of pocket was $200.
I am one of the people who are satisfied with Civil Union status. Like (some of) the Christians say so vocally, Marriage is mostly inextricably linked in the general public mind as a religious ceremony. Since I'm pagan, I wouldn't have really felt all that comfortable in a true Christian ceremony. We may be lucky, but I can't think of anything offhand where we've been worse off with a civil union rather than marriage certificate.
The ConChristians go on about how Marriage is a Sacred Tradition, handed down by THEIR GOD, and us GAYZ are totally ruining it. However, even their ceremony has changed over time, and the current American ceremony does incorporate the civil aspect. Every time the Priest says "by the power vested in my by the State of Wherever, I now pronounce you Man and Wife" they are performing the civil part of the marriage.
Obviously, both are good, but the one that will be having the most effect on us will be the DOMA decision. We do have a Civil Union in Vermont (just looked at certificate, this year will be our 9th anniversary!) I am able to have Seph on my insurance at work thanks to that. However, the amount of his insurance is counted as income on my check, and I have to pay taxes on that amount. The biggest effect I'm hoping this will have will be that our insurance gets treated the same as straight couples.
I m VERY thankful that I have been able to have him on my insurance through CBS pretty much since I started with them full time (as opposed to a temp worker). He contracted MRSA the first year he was covered, and was in the hospital for a couple weeks I think. I think all we had to pay out of pocket was $200.
I am one of the people who are satisfied with Civil Union status. Like (some of) the Christians say so vocally, Marriage is mostly inextricably linked in the general public mind as a religious ceremony. Since I'm pagan, I wouldn't have really felt all that comfortable in a true Christian ceremony. We may be lucky, but I can't think of anything offhand where we've been worse off with a civil union rather than marriage certificate.
The ConChristians go on about how Marriage is a Sacred Tradition, handed down by THEIR GOD, and us GAYZ are totally ruining it. However, even their ceremony has changed over time, and the current American ceremony does incorporate the civil aspect. Every time the Priest says "by the power vested in my by the State of Wherever, I now pronounce you Man and Wife" they are performing the civil part of the marriage.
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no subject
Date: 2013-06-28 05:26 pm (UTC)http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/wedding/a/unionvmarriage.htm
All faiths, including pagan, have ways to get married. (First marriage I ever officiated was a handfasting) It's not just a Christian thing. Those of no faith, or those who don't want a religious wedding, have the courthouse, where they can go and as one friend puts it "Swear to share tax returns til death do us part"
no subject
Date: 2013-06-28 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-04 09:04 pm (UTC)I actually hadn't dug to far into it, partially due to the fact neither one of us is all that active, and partly due to the fact that, supposedly, Civil Unions were to be as good as Marriage. (And we've been lucky enough that other than taxes, it pretty much has.)
Though I just thought of one case where we may be able to put it to a test… The apartment complex we are planning on moving to when the current lease ends, I am pretty sure the lady we talked to said that couples can apply together, or at least under one application fee. We'll have to check that out.
And I know there are pagan marriage ceremonies. My beliefs (like most people's I think) tend to range around a bit. I just tend to be in the more animist/agnostic/pagan space than a Jewish/Christian/Islam space.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-28 08:59 pm (UTC)As to the mechanics of a wedding, its why i've always thought they should split the two up, one name for the religious ceremony, one for the legal.