There are a few counter arguments where it might be handy to have the government handing out "civil unions" and not marriages.
Let's say my (unmarried) sister is deathly ill, and in the hospital. My parents want to continue treatment, but she doesn't want to. Every time she falls asleep, my parents have the doctors jack her up with the meds, she gets loopy, and can no longer make decisions. She could and I could get a civil union, thus making me her "spouse." We obviously have no intention of sleeping together, we're just using a quick legal contract to let her designate someone to make medical decisions for her when she's not able, and making sure that I inherit all her belongings after her passing. Our current option would be powers of attorney, living wills, regular wills, etc., all of which can be challenged in court. At the same time, if someone asked me, "are you married to your sister?" in the social sense no, but in the legal sense, yes.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
regna
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-07 02:50 pm (UTC)There are a few counter arguments where it might be handy to have the government handing out "civil unions" and not marriages.
Let's say my (unmarried) sister is deathly ill, and in the hospital. My parents want to continue treatment, but she doesn't want to. Every time she falls asleep, my parents have the doctors jack her up with the meds, she gets loopy, and can no longer make decisions. She could and I could get a civil union, thus making me her "spouse." We obviously have no intention of sleeping together, we're just using a quick legal contract to let her designate someone to make medical decisions for her when she's not able, and making sure that I inherit all her belongings after her passing. Our current option would be powers of attorney, living wills, regular wills, etc., all of which can be challenged in court. At the same time, if someone asked me, "are you married to your sister?" in the social sense no, but in the legal sense, yes.