Legal status that provides same-sex couples some rights available to married couples in areas such as state taxes, medical decisions and estate planning. Civil unions have been recognized by some states but not the U.S. government.
[On June 26, 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the Constitution guarantees every American the right to marry the person they love, making marriage equality the law of the land.]See commitment ceremony, domestic partner.
REFERENCE: GLAAD Media Reference Guide – 9th Edition
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