Wonderful news! The State of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations has become the tenth state of the Union to legalize gay marriage!
It’s a great day. It’s not a universally great day, of
course; the federal government still doesn’t recognize gay marriage, which
means we’re still in the turbulent state-by-state era in which interracial
couples used to live. (Imagine: it used to be illegal for black people to marry
white people, and states – well, hmm, Southern states – could still forbid it.
Imagine!)
Will Partner and I marry? I don’t know. Largely it will
depend on whether the pros outweigh the cons. Will it have tax advantages?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Will it guarantee us the right to visit one another in the
hospital when we’re sick? Almost certainly yes. (This is a big plus, because
we’re both getting older.) What about the rights to inheritance, and to
determine what happens when either of us passes away? (Another big plus, and I
don’t need to remind you once again that we’re getting older.) And if it isn't confirmed by Federal
law, the whole thing can still be thrown out the window.
But don't worry. If we decide to get married, I’ll be sure to announce it well in advance.
And I warn you that I expect very lavish wedding gifts.
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