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Relationships

Same-sex couples need to be able to protect their relationships and their families comprehensively, and GLAD is blazing the trail. Historic legal victories don’t happen by themselves. GLAD won marriage in Massachusetts—the first place in the United States—as well as the earlier landmark victory that led to Vermont civil unions. These GLAD cases have taken the entire LGBT civil rights movement to another level.

Nonetheless, even for couples who benefit from these tremendous civil rights advances, significant inequalities remain. Federal law refuses to recognize and protect married same-sex couples and it permits states to legislate the same official disrespect. When same-sex couples travel or move out of state, they run the risk of having their legal relationships ignored or dismissed.

We still have a long way to go before same-sex couples are truly equal under the law. Lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people deserve to be able to fall in love, express their commitment and live their lives together within the safety and comfort of legal security. GLAD is making it happen.

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GLAD’s Work On This Issue

From big cities to small rural towns, from urban Connecticut to the far reaches of northern Maine, same-sex couples and their families are an integral part of the New England landscape. Legal recognition of same-sex relationships, however, is not as universal, varying from place to place and situation to situation.