heterosexual partnerships

As Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Delaware senator Joe Biden sparred over same-sex unions in their first and only debate Thursday night, one thing was clear: They both oppose gay marriage. But when Biden delved deeper into equal rights and protections for gay couples, Palin didn't take the bait.

As we age, our dependence on health care increases and the rising costs of medicine, hospitalizations, and doctors' fees can make choosing an insurance carrier a difficult decision.

Tom Richardson and Salvador Valenzuela first marked their commitment to each other with a city domestic partnership in Seattle. When Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to allow same-sex marriage, they married there, and hyphenated their last names. Now back in Washington state, the Richardson-Valenzuelas plan to register for a state domestic partnership, taking advantage of a new state law giving same-sex couples some of the benefits that married heterosexual couples have.

Contrary to conservative rhetoric, many loving, lifelong partnerships can be found among LGBT people. Unfortunately, some problems plague heterosexual and same-sex relationships alike. A recent report released by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs documents over 3,000 cases of domestic violence between LGBT partners.

Now that marriage equality has been mandated for the Golden State, what happens to gay and lesbian Californians registered as domestic partners? Lambda Legal's Jennifer C. Pizer explains it all.