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Alternatives to Marriage Update: In this issue:
ATMP in the News ATMP in the News Catch Us on TV Next MonthShowtime will be airing a series of documentaries on the 20th century, and we were interviewed (and one of our workshops filmed) for their show on the history of marriage. We'll let you know the exact date and time when we find out. Look for us! Bookstore Brand-Spanking New Editions of Legal Guides Are Here!Updated 1999 editions of the Living Together Kit: A Legal Guide for Unmarried Couples ($29.95) and A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples ($25.95) just hit the shelves! Most of the rights that come with marriage are available to people in unmarried relationships, and these do-it-yourself legal guides teach you how to get them without spending a fortune on a lawyer. We use our copies of these books all the time. You can order your copy now by mail or online, and we'll throw in shipping for free. To order online with a credit card, go http://../bookstore.html and click on the book you want to order. To order by mail, send a check or money order made out to ATMP. Mail payment with your mailing address to: ATMP, P.O. Box 991010, Boston, MA 02199.
Recent & Upcoming WorkshopsUpcoming: Boston, MA: June
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TidbitsOne-Third of Babies Born to Unmarried
Mothers We Need You! We are still seeking:Library Employees Help us respond more quickly to media reports! If you work in a library and would be willing to look up a fact or statistic for us (very occasionally -- this will be a minimum time commitment), let us know! Media Lovers Tell your story to the world! Please let us know if you'd be willing to talk to the reporters who call us looking for (1) people in relationships who have chosen not to get married, or (2) gay and lesbian couples who would choose not to get married even if it were legal to do so. We'll add your name to our list of people willing to be interviewed, and you can decide on a case-by-case basis. Professional Supporters Do you work in a field related to our work? Do you share our belief that all relationships and families deserve equal treatment and support regardless of marital status? We welcome sociologists, therapists, demographers, psychologists, social workers, and supportive students of these and other related professions to join our professional network. E-mail us for more information. Mountains of Thank Yous We send many thanks to Jay Sekora and Alice Yew for their recent contributions to support the work of ATMP. News From Around the World If you would like more information about any of these news items, let us know. In most cases we have full articles by e-mail.Australian Man Sues for Death Benefits A man in Australia whose male partner was recently killed in a car accident has sued to receive benefits equal to those received by a different-sex spouse or partner. Dependent spouses receive about $110,000 when their partner is killed in a transportation accident, and Australian law specifically states that unmarried male-female couples are also eligible for the benefit. The lawsuit claims that the current law is unconstitutional because it conflicts with federal anti-discrimination laws. France Rejects Rights for Unmarried Couples After many months of controversy, French senators rejected for the second time a bill giving legal status to unmarried couples. The Senate rejected the Civil Solidarity Pact -- known as PACS -- without debate. The bill would have extended a variety of legal protections and benefits to same and different-sex unmarried couples. Canadian Bill Would Help Male-Female Couples Only An Alberta, Canada bill that excludes same-sex couples from the definition of common-law relationships cleared its final hurdle in the legislature this week. In Canada, "common law" marriages receive significantly greater legal recognition than unmarried couples do in the U.S. This law will allow common-law couples to apply for spousal support if they split up. Many are predicting a legal challenge to the definition of common law couples that limits eligibility to male-female couples. Unmarried Tourist Couples Need Separate Hotel Rooms in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is cautiously beginning to market itself as an appealing destination for American, European, and Japanese tourists, but it is worried that the foreigners will offend citizens in the deeply conservative culture. Foreign women who visit the country are provided with black gowns and headscarves, and the no-shorts rule for men is enforced. Tourists are prohibited from visiting certain holy cities and can't gamble or drink alcohol, and unmarried couples are not allowed to share a hotel room. British Commission Recommends Rights for Unmarrieds The British Law Commission is likely to recommend expanded rights for unmarried couples who live together, whether or not either of them are married to someone else. Much of the media coverage on the Commission's recommendations calls it legal protection for "mistresses," though the proposals would actually benefit a much wider range of unmarried couples (we do not know whether it would extend to same-sex couples) -- male lovers, too. The couple may be expected to prove they contributed to the relationship in more than just a sexual role. Tracing British Aristocrats' Heritage Complicated by Births Outside Marriage Throughout most of Europe and the U.S., children who are born to unmarried parents (once labeled "bastards" or "illegitimate") receive the same rights as children whose parents happened to be married at the time of birth. The latest edition of Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, which has tracked the breeding of the Bristish aristocracy since 1826, will list illegitimate lords and ladies for the first time. Advance publicity says that almost half of the nobles have "illegitimacy" somewhere in their histories, tainting their pedigrees. Illegitimate children cannot inherit titles in England, but following a test case they can in Scotland, after a court legitimized the son of the Marquess of Queensberry who was born before his parents married. Rival pedigree guide _Debrett's Peerage_ included children with unmarried parents in its previous edition. No Florida or Las Vegas DP Laws This Time Florida's state legislative session ended before a bill that would have extended spousal healthcare coverage to employees' domestic partners could be heard in committee. But supporters of the bill are pleased that it found 19 bipartisan co-sponsors and are ready to try again next session. Although the city employees of Las Vegas has asked the city to provide health benefits to their domestic partners, the new agreement with City Council will continue to provide benefits only to spouses. The outgoing mayor has been the lone supporter on the council of benefits for domestic partners. Tennessee May Return Child to Mother in Poly Relationship Some of you may have been following the case of a family in Tennessee who had their child removed from them because of their "alternative lifestyle." The child's mother lived with her two male partners, one of whom was her legal husband. Last November, the three adults appeared on an MTV show hoping to educate people about different kinds of successful families. They did not mention their daughter on the show, but afterwards, the girl's paternal grandparents requested and received temporary custody of the girl, claiming her mother was unfit to care for her. Currently, the State of Tennessee can legally remove a child from any household where the parents are engaged in any "alternative lifestyle." The state does not need to prove there is any harm to the child. The latest news of this case is that after a legal battle, the child will probably be returned to her mother next month. For this to occur, the second "husband" has had to move out of the house, and the mother has to attend parenting classes. Many in Tennessee remained concerned about how the state's laws could be used against anyone whose family is "alternative" in any way. For more information, visit http://www.lovemore.com/april/april_divilbiss_case.htm . Milwaukee, California County, & Nevada County Considering DP Registries, Laws The city of Milwaukee is considering creating a domestic partner registry for same-sex couples who live together. The measure would allow same-sex couples who meet eligibility requirements, such as joint checking accounts, house deeds, leases and loans, to register their relationships with the city clerk. They would receive a certificate of domestic partnership that employers could use as verification if the employer chose to offer domestic partner benefits. Whether or not to offer benefits would still be up to each employer to decide, but supporters hope the registry would encourage them to do so. The Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County, California for the second time this year indicated its support for creating a domestic partners registry, but will not formally vote on the question until June 1. The Board is considering adopting a registry similar to that of the city of Santa Barbara. A Clark County, Nevada committee that was studying whether to offer domestic partner benefits to county employees has decided to study the issue further. At least four commissioners strongly support adding the benefit, one opposes it, and two have not made public statements. Arizona May Repeal Archaic Laws Arizona's House of Representatives voted to repeal the states laws against sodomy and cohabitation, and expand the protections under the state's domestic violence laws to include same-gender couples who live together. According to one of the bill's sponsors, the language of the sodomy law makes "most sex in Arizona" illegal, including private consensual acts between heterosexual married couples. The bill still needs to move through the Senate. Arizona is one of eight states where unmarried cohabitation is still illegal; the others are Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia. Tempe, Arizona & California Legislature To Offer Inclusive DPs The Tempe City Council has voted to become the third Arizona municipality to offer domestic partner benefits to same and opposite-sex domestic partners of city employees. The city estimates that approximately 1% of its 1,556 employees would qualify to receive the benefits if they wish. A final vote, described as mostly a formality, will take place in June. The California Legislature is about to offer health benefits to the same and different-sex domestic partners of legislative employees, despite strong objections from Republican legislators. Newly-elected Governor Gray Davis has been supportive of inclusive domestic partner policies, unlike his predecessor. Florida Judge Finds DP Law Is Legal When Broward County, FL approved domestic partner benefits for same and different-sex partners of city employees earlier this year, a resident filed a lawsuit claiming that the law illegally created same-sex marriages (Florida bans same-sex marriages). But a judge found there is no conflict in the two laws, so plans for the DP registry will move forward. Initially, the Broward County law would have also provided benefits for blood relatives who lived with employees, but that provision has since been dropped. University of Pittsburgh Activists Cancel Hunger Strike After 16 days, students and a staff member at the University of Pittsburgh have changed their tactics to try to convince the university to offer health benefits to the same-sex partners of employees. Instead of their hunger strike - students were becoming increasingly ill and one received emergency treatment - they have begun a round-the-clock sit-in outside the door of the University's Board of Trustees. Their immediate objective is to arrange a public forum to confront the trustees with those impacted by the decision not to provide benefits. The University is challenging a city law that prohibits discrimination in employment compensation on the basis of sexual orientation. Mentally Retarded Couples Not Allowed To Marry A recent article in a New Jersey newspaper told the story of a cognitively disabled couple, ages 36 and 50, who want to get married. The woman's parents, who are her legal guardians, will not allow her to get married, believing that she doesn't understand the emotional aspects of marriage. As the disability rights movement has resulted in more retarded adults living independently rather than in institutions, questions about their rights arise more frequently. Under New Jersey law, adults with developmental disabilities are permitted to make decisions about their lives if they can. But intercourse with anyone considered "mentally defective" is prohibited, and so is issuance of a marriage license to anyone judged "mentally incompetent." Some mentally retarded people do get married in the state. States Trying to Lower Divorce Rate by Making It Harder to Marry Concerned by the divorce rate, lawmakers in at least three states are considering bills that would make people slow down before getting married. In Minnesota, the proposed bill would reduce the marriage license fee from $70 to $20 for couples who get 12 hours of pre-marital counseling. The fee to file for a divorce would be raised. The Texas House has passed a bill that raises the marriage fee to encourage premarital education and research. And in Louisiana, some lawmakers want to amend the state's covenant marriage law to make it more appealing to Catholics. In the first five months after Louisiana adopted its covenant marriage law, only 1% of marrying couples chose to agree to its stricter provisions. Philadelphia Mayoral Candidate Says He'll Keep DPs Democratic mayoral candidate John Street has said he has no plans to seek a repeal of the city's domestic partnership ordinances, and that if they come under attack in his administration he would support an alternative which would allow single city employees to add a person of the same or opposite sex to his or her benefit package. ACLU Opposed to Religious Liberty Act The American Civil Liberties Union announced that despite its continued support for the free exercise of religion, it could not support the Religious Liberty Protection Act that has been introduced in Congress. The ACLU warns that the act would not protect other civil rights laws and could allow discrimination on the basis of marital status, sexual orientation, and other factors if the discrimination took place for religious reasons. An ACLU representative said, "Congress must amend this legislation to stop pitting Americans seeking their civil rights against each other." Study Finds Divorced Dads Not So Bad A new study that tracked 400 divorced parents for 4 years found that previous conclusions from flawed studies have painted divorced fathers to be worse than they are. The new study found that men and women fare roughly the same financially after a divorce (contrary to the common belief that women suffer more -- the author of that study has since acknowledged an arithmetical error). The study also found that divorced fathers are more likely to have regular contact with their children and pay more child support than previously believed. The study's author explains his findings in the book _Divorced Dads: Shattering the Myths_ by Sanford Braver. Groups Announce Covenant Marriage Movement A group of 24 national religious and pro-marriage organizations announced the launch of a Marriage Movement in an attempt to strengthen marriage in America. The group will challenge Americans to sign a "Covenant Marriage Statement" to declare their individual marriages as lasting institutions in the face of "rampant divorce and the breakdown of the family." The covenant marriage statement reads, "Believing that marriage is a covenant, intended by God to be a lifelong relationship between a man and a woman, we vow to God, each other, our families and our communities to remain steadfast in unconditional love, reconciliation and sexual purity while purposefully growing in our covenant marriage relationship." The statement will be available to be signed on keepsake cards, certificates, on a website and through various other forms. Loan Company Pays Penalty for Discrimination A Delaware County, Pennsylvania car-financing company has agreed to pay $800,000 in civil penalties because it violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which requires lenders to give equal access to credit. Franklin Acceptance Corporation was investigated for denying loans to certain applicants because they were on public assistance, they were taking child support, or they were an unmarried couple who didn't qualify individually for a loan. Although the company would allow married couples to combine their incomes when applying for a loan, unmarried couples' incomes were not allowed to be combined. The company only allowed spouses, not unmarried partners, to co-sign loans. |
