The Difference Between Marriage and Civil Unions

Currently no place in the United States allows same-sex marriage. Multnomah County, Oregon stopped performing gay and lesbian marriages this week, pending a ruling from the State Legislature. Massachusetts is in line to begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples on May 17, 2004. Currently, if a same-sex couple wants to get hitched in the US, their only option is a civil union in Vermont. But is a civil union as good as a marriage? This article explains the difference between marriage and civil unions.