Only in the states of Vermont and California are gay couples allowed to marry. Same-sex marriage is very important with gay couples and activists in today's society. On January 1, 2002, a bill became effective to give members of registered same-sex and opposite-sex couples the right to adopt a partner's child. A reason why the Vermont same-sex union battle received so much nation press is because legislators were responding to a court order, while some ended up …showed first 75 words of 1438 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1438 total…Bidstrup.com/marriage.htm. Malone, John. "21st Century Gay" M. Evans and Company, Inc. 2001 Murphy, Jenny. Should Gay Couples Be Allowed to Marry? 3 February 2000 http://speakout.com/cgi-bin/udt/im.display.printable?client.id=speakout&story.id=1138b "National Campaign for Same-Sex Marriage...Draws Political and Religious Opposition." CQ Researcher. (Vol.#)(1996): 420-423. Say, Elizabeth A. and Kowalewski, Mark R. Gays, Lesbians, and Family Values The Pilgrim Press. 1998 Advocate.com 2001 http://www.advocate.com/