Everybody loves a wedding. But when the union is between two men or two women, blissful nuptials become a hotly debated political issue. California voters on Tuesday will consider a referendum that would ensure marriage remains an institution between a man and a woman. Vermont legislators, meanwhile, are debating whether to create a separate legal relationship for gays that is just like marriage but doesn't have the name. Few issues are as divisive as the push by gays and lesbians to have their personal relationships recognized.
Churches are divided.
Families are confronted with internal prejudices. Politicians struggle with finding a middle ground. Among the most religious Americans, opposition was 70 percent, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the same time, the gay community has become more visible in American society. And gays and lesbians have become more vocal about having not just their individual rights recognized but their relationships legitimized.