MARRIAGE IN SCANDINAVIA: Gabriel Rosenberg replies to M.V. Lee Badgett and Stanley Kurtz

...[Badgett's] analysis looks more closely at the demographic evidence, which is certainly important, but I think some of her most important points lie elsewhere, towards the end of the article.

First of all there are some key differences between the United States and Scandinavia. As she writes: "And all the conservative hand-wringing seems especially unnecessary when you consider the various incentives that encourage American heterosexual couples to marry. By marrying, U.S. couples obtain health-insurance coverage, pensions, and Social Security survivor benefits. Plus, in the United States we are required by law to be financially responsible for our spouses in bad times, since we don't have Scandinavian-style welfare programs to fall back on."

Whereas allowing same-sex couples to marry does not change any of these incentives, not allowing same-sex marriage has been causing a change. For example, because same-sex couples are excluded from marriage many private employers have started offering health coverage and pension benefits to unmarried partners. The number of such companies has been rising dramatically every year. These programs are generally also available to opposite sex couples as well (often because of legal concerns about discriminating against such couples). Without same-sex marriage these programs will continue to proliferate and the situation will become more like Scandinavia in this regard. ...

...In the political arena not allowing same-sex marriage must lead to a second debate over what should be done to protect same-sex couples and their children. If we are not going to have SSM, then what are we going to do? Domestic partnerships? If so, what should they look like? How should they be treated in another state? What should guide the courts in dealing with them? Should they be open to opposite-sex couples? I don't believe that a Constitutional Amendment is going to put gays back in the closet. One way or another this issue must be faced.

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posted by Eve at 1:51 AM | Link |

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