Homework help!

[jean]

My daughter is doing a major project in her modern problems class and has been assigned the topic of gay marriage.

What are some of the economic and social effects we might see if gay marriage is legalized? She is looking for both pros and cons.

So far, she's got info we've seen online and "in the news."

Thanks for your input ahead of time! :hi:

[camero]

1. well for one thing I think more would have health insurance.

Since alot of places only allow married couples on the family health plan. I'm straight but I see this as a good thing.

[Democrats unite]

2. Just think of all the wedding that would need to be planned!

caterers, Flower shops, Honeymoon packages, thats just some of the economics. Fo social effects, how about roughly 10% of the population not being treated as 2nd class citizens.

Also you might find this link useful for social effects. Hope this helps your daughter.


http://www.gaytoday.com/events/021004ev.asp

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. She might wish to check out the places in Canada

that have allowed gay marriages and see what they say the impact is.

[Sapphocrat]

4. Good idea -- as well as...

...the burgeoning -- no, booming -- gay-wedding industry in Providence in anticipation of Mass. marriage licenses.

[Sapphocrat]

5. 'Economic and social effects'...

...is a pretty broad range. I mean, any of us for same-sex marriage could write a book on all this.

Could you narrow it down a bit? Especially the "social" impact -- i.e., would this include the 1,049 rights we would be afforded if we were allowed to marry? How about the impact on us binational same-sex couples whose partners are not allowed to migrate to the U.S.? What about the political gain/fallout?

See what I mean?

I'd love to help your daughter with this, but it would be a lot easier (and faster) if she could, perhaps, draw up a short list of questions for us to answer.

[Mrs. Venation]

6. My Primary Concern

I am eleven years older then Bertha. It is reasonable to think I will pass on before she does. Since we cannot legally wed, she cannot receive survivors benefits from my federal pension or from Social Security. The government would simply keep the money I have contributed!

If I were to pass away now (God forbid) she would be eligible for approximately $2000 per month just from those sources. I want to be sure she is provided for.

As a federal employee, if I could include her I could provide for better health insurance benefits than she gets on her job. As the law stands now, I cannot provide dependent coverage for her, and if she includes me in her company provided health plan we have to report the coverage as additional income on our taxes!

Bertha and I spent $1000 to get legal documents to cover health care decisions, estate planning, etc. If we could legally marry it would have cost us the price of a marriage license only; the provisions of the legal documents we had to pay dearly for are automatically conveyed to legal spouses.

If your daughter has more questions, I'll be happy to answer. Maybe this is a good place for her to start.

[Mobius]

7. More Weddings, More $$$$

For alot of businesses. Photographers, bands, Video , Food, Halls, Formal Wear, Jewelery, Travel, Florists, Cake decorators, Caterers.....etc...

[Kenneth ken]

8. since no one has offered any cons

I'll give you some.

social cons to gay marriage:
1. Pat Robertson's head would explode
2. Jerry Falwell's head would explode.

- oh wait, those are pros.

Are there any cons to gay marriage?

[jean]

9. Thanks everyone! She's off to a good start!