I warn you now before you read this this could just be me having a rant but it pisses me off so much!! Ok so I just watched this video on you-tube of photos from a lesbian wedding, it was so beautiful!! [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntsZvaDPZl8[/YOUTUBE] Anyway this made me do some research on gay marriage laws in New Zealand. I already knew that technically we can't get 'married' and it has to be a civil-union but what really got to me is I came across this site saying that civil-unions give pretty much the same rights as marriage and there is really no difference - well for god's sake if they are that similar why the hell can't they just call them the same thing and let gay people get married!!! Ever since I have been little I have dreamed of the perfect wedding, the dress, where it is, the flowers, the cake etc. (I could never picture guy by my side though guess I know why now lol) anyway a civil-union just doesn't seem the same to me and it just really really pisses me off that people will stand there and say they are the same thing but still they have to go by different names!!!!!!!!!!
That's the thing, though - civil unions do NOT give the same benefits as marriage, particularly inheritance and hospital visitation rights. Most same-sex couples are primarily concerned with those two issues, but there are plenty who want the ceremonial gown-and-tuxedo wedding that heterosexual couples are given. At the end of the day, though, it comes down to legal rights. You can get dressed up and have a friend say some magic words and call it a marriage, but unless it's legally recognized by the state, it means very little to nothing.
