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| May 2001 |
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Alternatives to Marriage Update
In this issue:
Around the Alternatives to Marriage Project Around the Alternatives to Marriage Project Party With ATMP in New York City Live in or near the Big Apple? Join us at a house party to benefit ATMP on Saturday, June 2nd, where you'll be able to eat, drink, mingle with others who support family diversity, and contribute to ATMP's work! For details, contact uswith your mailing address and we'll send you an invitation (if you already get mail from us at a New York City address, you don't need to give us your address again). Want to host an ATMP party? You can give your friends the chance to learn a little about the politics of marriage and non-marriage, and help a great cause while they're at it! Contact us to request an Alternatives to Marriage Project's house party package! ATMP Speaks to Family Experts, Researchers Alternatives to Marriage Project Executive Director Dorian Solot talked about the importance of recognizing diverse family forms on a panel on "The Politics of Matrimony" at the conference of the Council on Contemporary Families (http://www.contemporaryfamilies.org). She pointed out the dangers of "marital status-ism," a form of discrimination akin to racism or sexism, that is visible when society gives married couples legal and social status above unmarried people. The panel also included the viewpoints of Paula Ettelbrick, Family Policy Director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, Frank Furstenburg of the University of Pennsylvania, and Steven Nock of the University of Virginia, and was facilitated by Judith Stacey of the University of Southern California, author of In the Name of the Family: Rethinking Family Values in the Postmodern Age. Seeking Cohabitors To Tell Their Stories ATMP maintains a database of unmarried people who are willing to talk about their lives with journalists who are working on stories about marriage, cohabitation, and related topics. We think these real life stories are an important part of educating the public about unmarried relationships. At the moment we are particularly in need of cohabiting male-female couples. If you fit this description and would be willing to consider talking to the media about your experience (you can always decide on a case-by-case basis), please contact us) with your city and state (very important), phone number, and basic information about your relationship. Your Hands Needed in Boston/Providence Area ATMP sends out large mailings about every other month, and we always need extra hands to help us stick, stuff, and seal during the day or in the evening. We provide the pizza! It's a fun chance to hang out with cool people, and a good way to volunteer for those with limited time. To find out more, email us! In the Media Washington Times Prints Our "Illegitimacy" Op-Ed On Sunday, May 6th the Washington Times printed an op-ed article by Solot and co-founder Marshall Miller responding to several articles on the country's "illegitimate" birth rate. The article, "Legitimizing Unmarried Parents," pointed out that while one-third of American babies are born to unmarried parents, these are not necessarily single mothers as the Times had assumed. Several researchers, quoted in the article, conclude that factors like income are far more important to child well-being than marital status. To read the full op-ed, go to http://www.unmarried.org/illegitimacy.html . ATMP on NPR, in South Florida Sun-Sentinel On the Rhode Island National Public Radio show One Union Station, Solot was a guest along with Maggie Gallagher, co-author of The Case for Marriage, and David Barash and Judith Lipton, authors of The Myth of Monogamy. Solot talked about the differences among marriage, commitment, and monogamy, and pointed out that while the three things can go together (as in the case of committed, monogamous married couples), they can also fit together in any combination (as in committed unmarried relationships). An article on marriage in the Sunday edition of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel quoted Solot and Council on Contemporary Families researchers Stephanie Coontz and Barbara Risman. Coontz said, "People need stability, they need commitment over time, but marriage isn't the only way to get it." Heaps of Thank Yous ATMP's work is possible because of the generous contributions of individuals who believe people should be treated fairly regardless of their marital status. You can help make a difference for unmarried people by making a tax-deductible contribution of whatever size you can afford. You can send a check to ATMP, P.O. Box 991010, Boston, MA 02199. Or call us (518-462-5600) to charge your donation to your credit card. You can also show your ongoing support for ATMP making a monthly or quarterly credit card gift. Thank you! Many thanks to those who made recent contributions: Linda Blair, Michael Burton, Mindy Huggins Clay, Phil and Carolyn Cowan, Amity Janow, Maureen Marovitch, Daniel Marquart, Stephen May, Tanya Settle and Andre Berthiaume, and Dave White. Sizzling Statistics 1 in 3 Babies Born to Unmarried Parents A record 1.3 million babies were born to unmarried parents in 1999, marking the first time that a full one-third of all U.S. births were to unmarried people. The data also show that the number of unmarried births hasn't declined, despite the 1996 welfare law's goal to decrease these numbers. The National Center for Health Statistics, which released the report, says that most of the growth in unmarried births is explained by the growth in the population of unmarried women of childbearing age during the same time period. This report on unmarried births provoked media attacks on unmarried parents around the country. You can read ATMP's op-ed, "Legitimizing Unmarried Parents," about the realities of "out-of-wedlock" families at http://www.unmarried.org/illegitimacy.html . Study Finds Unwed Moms Are Usually in Couples A paper published by researchers at Columbia and Princeton universities found that 48% of unmarried mothers were living with their babies' fathers, and an additional 34% were romantically involved. Seventy-eight percent of mothers who were living with the fathers said their chances of marrying were good or almost certain, and half of the moms who were involved romantically but not living with the dads said the same. The study was based on interviews with 3,600 unmarried parents and 1,200 married parents at hospitals in 20 large cities, and will follow these families for at least four years. Marriages Down, Divorces Up in China The latest Chinese statistics show that the number of newlyweds in 2000 was 8.48 million, down from 9.34 million in 1995 and 9.51 million in 1990. Over 1.21 million couples divorced, compared to 1.05 million in 1995 and 0.8 million in 1990. A Chinese newspaper says the numbers show that China's family planning policy has been successful. Sizeable Support for Cohabitation Among Young British Christians A survey commissioned by the Evangelical Alliance to find out why so few young people were attending church discovered that in Britain, 33% of Christians ages 18 to 35 supported cohabitation, compared with 82% of non-Christians. Church leaders were said to be shocked, having expected fewer than 10% to support living together. One Church of England report has recommended that the phrase "living in sin" be abandoned. News From the United States Marriage & Fatherhood Activist Named to Health & Human Services President Bush recently named Wade Horn Assistant Secretary for Children & Families of the Department of Health and Human Services. Horn is the founder and President of the National Fatherhood Initiative and one of the founding members of the Marriage Savers Board. He served as HHS Commissioner of Children, Youth & Families during the first Bush administration. Marriage-only groups are hailing the appointment as an opportunity to promote marriage through public policy. The Alternatives to Marriage Project believes in supporting married couples. Policies promoting marriage, however, too often cause harm to unmarried relationships and famlies. To read more about ATMP's beliefs, see our Affirmation of Family Diversity at http://www.unmarried.org/family.html. Arkansas Adopts Covenant Marriage Option Arkansas has become the third state to offer marrying couples the choice between regular civil marriages and covenant marriages, which make divorces harder to get. Louisiana and Arizona already have covenant marriage laws. Couples who marry under Arkansas' new law promise to stay together for life, get counseling if they have problems, and are allowed to divorce only in a few situations such as adultery, a felony, or physical or sexual abuse. Georgia Couple Asks State to Recognize Civil Union from Vermont A year after Vermont became the first state in the union to grant state marriage rights to same-sex partners, a lesbian couple is seeking to have a civil union they obtained in Vermont recognized in their home state of Georgia. This is also the first challenge of the constitutionality of the federal Defense Of Marriage Act, which allows states to choose not to recognize a same-sex union formed in another state. The case is expected to make its way to the Georgia Supreme Court, and possibly to the U.S. Supreme Court. Since the civil union law went into effect last July, Vermont has issued more than 1,800 civil unions, less than 500 of which went to state residents. Arizona May Repeal Anti-Cohabitation Law Arizona senators voted 18-11 to repeal Arizona's 100-year-old "archaic laws" that make cohabitation, sodomy and any non-procreational sex acts illegal. If the bill passes, unmarried same-sex and different-sex couples will be able to claim their partners as dependents for income tax purposes (IRS code does not allow filers to claim their partners in states where cohabitation is illegal). The bill, which was already approved by the House, now goes to Governor Jane Hull's desk to await action, but a spokeswoman for Hull said the governor has not decided how to proceed. For a list of the states where cohabitation is illegal, go to http://www.unmarried.org/fun.html . News From Around the World Canadian Judge Gives Unmarried Partners Equal Rights A judge in Alberta, Canada ruled that Alberta's estate law is unconstitutional because it does not give same-sex couples the same rights to the estate of a deceased partner as it gives married or unmarried different-sex couples. In the case, the province gave the estate of a gay man who died without a will to his daughters instead of his partner. The government will not fight the ruling and plans to change over 60 laws to treat people equally regardless of sex or marital status. Ireland Grapples with Cohabitation When Ireland's Census first asked a question about cohabitation in 1996, it found more than 60,000 people who described themselves as living with an unmarried partner. About 40% had children. Legal experts are concerned because unmarried partners have almost no legal rights in that country. For the first time, last year's budget introduced some measures to protect unmarried same-sex and different-sex couples' inheritance rights so that a surviving partner (or a sibling) can inherit his or her own home without having to pay tax on it. Women in Cameroon Condemn Forced Marriages of Girls Women in northern Cameroon, who met with administrative and traditional authorities in their provinces recently, have publicly condemned the early and forced marriages of young girls. The country's statistics show that 24% of married women got married between ages 15 and 19, and 43% of young married women were married before they were 18. The protesters say that early marriage harms the girls' health and limits their education. Scotland To Give Rights to Unmarried Dads Planned reforms in Scotland will give unmarried fathers full legal rights over their children. About 40% of children in Scotland are born to unmarried couples, but their fathers have no automatic legal rights over issues like their health, welfare, or education. Currently, if a father wants parental rights he has to marry his child's mother, register an agreement in court with the mother, or get a court order. The planned changes would affect only fathers whose names are on their children's birth certificates. In the United States, by contrast, for the most part unmarried fathers have the same legal rights and responsibilities of married fathers, particularly if their name is on the birth certificate. Bahrain Scholar Concerned About Divorce Rate Well-known religious scholar Sheikh Nizam Yacuby recently said that students should be educated about marriage in order to slow the divorce rate. He said the number of divorces in the Gulf Arab state of Bahrain during the past few years has been very close to the number of marriages. He also said that divorce is the best solution if a couple cannot live together despite attempts to reconcile. Bahrain To Restrict Single Female Visitors An Information Ministry official from the island state of Bahrain said that while couples and single men will be granted visas at the airport, single women wishing to visit Bahrain need to obtain visas from Bahrain's embassies abroad or through companies employing them. It is not clear whether the rule applies to women who are unmarried or women of any marital status who are traveling alone. The official would not give a reason for the restriction. Australia Considers Bill Giving Rights to Unmarrieds The Australian cabinet is considering an amended bill that would give same-sex and different-sex unmarried couples the same rights as married couples in superannuation, property transfers, wills, and medical treatment. The bill was first introduced last year and has been under attack since then. The new amendment would more clearly define who qualifies as domestic partners, requiring that partners demonstrate financial commitment and emotional support. Australia Considers Banning Single Women and Lesbians from Insemination The Australian lower house passed a bill enabling the states to deny single women and lesbians access to donor sperm. Despite a bipartisan committee's rejection of the bill as discriminatory, the government supports it on the grounds that children have a right to a "mother and a father by being conceived into a marriage or de facto [unmarried] relationship involving a man and a woman." China Updates Marriage Laws China has adopted 33 amendments to its Marriage Law in an attempt to protect the rights of women and children. The new legislation bans domestic violence, outlaws bigamy, and prohibits married people from cohabiting with anyone other than their spouses. Domestic Partner News (U.S.) DP Health Benefits Catching on Quickly In just the first quarter of this year, more than twenty Fortune 500 companies -- as many as in all of last year -- have either adopted domestic partner health benefits or announced that they plan to do so by July 1. This brings to 121 the total number of Fortune 500 businesses that have taken, or plan to take, this step. A recent survey of 570 large employers by management firm Hewitt Associates found that between 1997 and 2000, the percentage of companies offering DP benefits doubled, from 10% to 22%. An additional 35% of the firms that did not offer the benefit said they expect to consider offering it during the next three years. To learn more about which employers that provide benefits to domestic partners or how to convince your employer to do so, visit the Domestic Partner Benefits section of our Resources page, http://www.unmarried.org/res.html. Tribune, George County, Others Offer DPs The Tribune Company will make its health insurance and welfare benefits available to the same-sex and different-sex domestic partners of all its employees. The newspaper publisher's change comes about a year after the Tribune -- which had not offered DP benefits despite years of lobbying by employees -- bought Times Mirror Company, which offered the benefits. To be eligible, employees must declare they have been in an "exclusive, committed relationship of at least 12 months that is expected to last indefinitely." DeKalb will become the first county government in Georgia to offer medical, dental and life insurance benefits to domestic partners of employees under a proposal introduced recently. Atlanta is currently the only local government in Georgia with a domestic partners benefit package. DeKalb has said the main reason for the change would be to show that the county does not discriminate. The Atlanta suburb of East Point is considering a similar proposal. Other employers that recently announced they will offer DP benefits include Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Central Michigan University, the City of Concord, CA, Convergsys, DoubleClick, Eastern Kentucky University, Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, NCS Pearson, and Yahoo!. Proposed Law Would Give DPs to Federal Employees Representative Barney Frank has proposed a law that would give "spousal" benefits to the same-sex or different-sex partners of federal employees, including retirement benefits, life insurance, health insurance, and compensation for work injuries. Although DP benefits are generally recognized as a way to support diverse families, an analyst for the Family Research Council commented that the benefits would "reward those who would try to overturn the core institution of Western civilization, which is the family." Maine Groups Organize Against New DP Policies Christian activist groups have begun organizing in Maine for a possible referendum to overturn the state's new policy of providing domestic partner benefits to the same-sex and different-sex partners of state employe es. The Ad Hoc Committee for Marriage and Family, whose formation was announced at a State House news conference, is also targeting a bill before the Legislature that seeks to extend health coverage to more domestic partners of workers in private businesses. ACLU Fights for Same-Sex DPs in Alaska American Civil Liberties Union attorneys for nine gay and lesbian public employees and their domestic partners argued in Anchorage Superior Court that it is unconstitutional for the state and the Municipality of Anchorage to deny them health insurance and pension benefits equal to those married couples receive. If the court rules in favor of the nine couples, the issue will bounce back to the Legislature. Quoteworthy "Committed cohabiting relationships seem to confer many of the benefits of marriage." - William Doherty, Professor of Family Science at the University of Minnesota, speaking at the Council on Contemporary Families conference, April 27, 2001 |
