My partner and I would love to file a suit in our state. We were joined in a civil union in August but we feel it's worth nothing here in Georgia. We don't enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples and want to do something about it. Any advice would be great (Georgia)

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I was just surfing the internet for a paper I am writing on the topic of homosexual marriage. I had no idea how many people were so against this and how unbelievably falsely these people were educated. Can you provide me with some information on why people are against this? I tried to get info from the people who write these horrible sites but no one would answer. I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

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You people or sick who in there right mind would want to marry a person of there own sex! I guess people like you were not raised very well by there parents!!!!!!!! You all should really read the BIBLE more where is tell about homo's!!!!!! How sick!!!!! But then again it is the way that God said when he is so close to come and take his children home!!!!!!!! But since all of the homo's will be going to hell that would be a good place for you!!!! And what is worst is been there are children being raise in that kind of sick and crazy world!!!!!!! God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve!!!!!!!!!!! But someday God will punish all of you sick people!!!!!!!

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I met my lover while working out of the country. He is from Canada and I am from New York City. We want to move in together in New York. Do you have any advice for me or places I can go for help in making this work. I am confident we can be together. I just don't know where to begin. Thank you so much for your time and your advice. (New York)

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I'm a student at (-----) College in (-----), VT. I picked up a " keep it civil " bumper sticker a while ago and recently a woman saw it, and she wants me to get her one. The problem is I can't contact anyone on the net. Do you know where I might be able to get another? I'm just tryin' to help spread the word.  (Vermont)

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I work for an HMO in Massachusetts. I am trying to find someone (Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Social Worker, Therapist, lay person) who does public speaking on the topic of (or similar to) 'building healthy, supportive, committed, fulfilling, life long relationships in same gender couples, and the positive impact/effect this can have on emotional and physical health'. Do you know of anyone who does this? And/or can you recommend where/who I should contact to get more information. Thank you for any and all help.  (Massachusetts)

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It seems there is little, if any, common ground in the civil union debate. But from my "straight" point of view editorials like the one on this Web page are misleading and oversimplified. I am an active worker in the Take Back Vermont movement. I do not hate gays, though I don't condone their lifestyle. I have never rudely yelled at or interrupted a speaker from the GLBT side, though they routinely do it to me. I have never torn down or defaced a sign promoting the gay "agenda" or candidates who support it, though they routinely do it to us. In my opinion there is much more hate and vindictiveness on the gay side of the debate than on the straight. Getting back to your editorial, I have never heard a Take Back Vermont proponent voice any concern about his/her marriage being threatened by civil unions. A vast majority of us would have little opposition to so-called civil unions if that was the end of it. If two people of the same sex chose to have a life together that is of little concern to me. But don't force acceptance of it down my throat. Don't rewrite my children's school books to include the homosexual lifestyle. Don't reset school curriculum to brainwash young, impressionable minds with demands for "tolerance" and "diversity". Don't threaten me that if I use my freedom of speech to speak out against the GLBT lifestyle I will be charged with a hate crime. Equating the GLBT lifestyle with a civil right is a travesty of sensibility. One's sexual preference is no more of a constitutional right than one's choice of friends. Outside of Christian beliefs, a person in this country has a right to have a relationship with any other person, as long as they are old enough and intelligent enough to realize the responsibility of their actions. But that is not a minority right protected by the constitution.  (Vermont)

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How does one get married, can you be an out of state resident? We are from New Jersey and would like to come to Vermont. How and can we go about this, your help would be greatly appreciate. (New Jersey)

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We meant to ask you a question you might be able to provide us an answer with. We are in NYC, and we plan to possibly get married in Vermont in late 2001, or 2002. So the question is, once we're back in NYC, what happens to our marriage? I know it is not legal in other states, but after getting married in Vermont, can I write on official forms that, yes, I am married? We plan to have our two last names, so can I then in NY have her last name too? This is kind of confusing, what can we do once we're out of Vermont? We don't wanna live as if nothing had changed, we will be married, and it is so frustrating we can't have the whole world know and recognize it. Would our union in Vermont just be a sort of symbol just to us? I thank you for your time, hope you will be able to shed some light on this matter.  (New York)

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Hi I'm (-----) and my partner is (-----). We are planning our civil union for around January, and we would like to come to Vermont . I hope that we can and then we are planning on making Vermont our home . If we are able to come to Vermont and have our wedding we would like information on places and hopefully some gay supporters there. I guess what I am saying, if we can get married there, is there any way you could assist us with plans. Thank you. May you have a blessed day and write soon.

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We have plans to go to Burlington Nov. 2 - 5 and will be staying at the Comfort Inn, get a car and go to the civil registrar and then to the JP. Is that all we need? We are from Pittsburgh and belongs to Asians & Friends. Together for at least 7 years, a May / December pair. Anything else we need to know and do? Thanks!  (Pennsylvania)

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To whom it may concern: Hi, my name is (-----) and I am a journalism student at (-----) University in (-----). I'm writing a story on homosexual partnerships and marriages for my journalism class, which will be published in an online magazine that we are creating. I was wondering if anyone could take the time to answer some questions for me. My questions are below, along with my contact information if you need it. Thanks so much. What is your opinion of the government not sanctioning gay marriages? What steps do you think the government should take to provide protection for gay marriages? What difficulties do you think gay people experience in their daily lives? How would homosexuals' lives improve or worsen based on the government's stance on gay marriages? Which states do you feel are succeeding in protecting gay rights? How do you rate Indiana for protecting gay rights? How long do you think it will be before Indiana effects some legislation protecting gay rights and domestic partner benefits? How do you think homosexuals are treated at work, i.e. regarding civil unions and domestic partner benefits? How hard do you think it would be to come out to the public - especially at work - in a relationship? How long do you think it's good to wait before telling people at work that you are in a committed homosexual relationship? What benefits would you like to have homosexual partners gain in the workplace? What steps could someone take to gain domestic partner benefits in the workplace? How long do you think it will take for homosexuals to gain the same partnership rights as straight men and women? Have you encountered, or do you know anyone who has encountered, any difficulties religiously as a homosexual and/or as part of a homosexual relationship? How do you think the cases in Vermont and Hawaii (and others as well) will affect Indiana legislation? Do you think it will be affected at all? Thanks again! (Indiana)

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Me and my lover are planning a union in Feb of the year 2001 and would like more info on what way this will benefit us and how we can support this campaign in the near future, and also what does the same sex union exactly mean? (Kentucky)

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I'm doing a project in French class pertaining to Gay Marriage in France. I can't seem to find any information to help me with that. Do you have any info or links?

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We need a Justices of the Peace's name in the Burlington, VT area for a weekend civil union. Please Help. Can't find any names. Please help us.

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My name is (-----), and I'm writing from (-----), the online publication at (-----) College in (-----). I'm currently editing an article on the topic of civil unions and the "Take Back Vermont" and "Take Vermont Forward" campaigns. I'm inquiring as to whether or not I would be able to use the opening image of your web site (pink triangle, hearts, and bands) as a graphic in this story. In doing so I would be more than willing to link to your site, as well as identify the source of the graphic. Thank you so much for this consideration, and please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding our publication, or this story. Please let me know if the use of this graphic is acceptable. (Vermont)

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My partner & I are very interested in a civil union ceremony. If you could provide me with a few answers it would be greatly appreciated. We reside in Eastern PA. Where is the closest part of Vermont to reach from our location? What time and what offices do we need to go to get the license? Are there places opened on Saturday which will perform the civil union? If we go for the license on Friday will we be able to have a ceremony on Saturday? What type of ID will we need to show? Will we need to have a witness or two present for the union? Thank you for any assistance you can provide in this matter.

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Hi, I just wanted to say that I support the gay civil union. I hope that many states will recognize the need to approve homosexual marriages and adoption. I really feel that this will shed a new light on society in an overall acceptance. As a psychology major I am researching the subject matter. I feel that this is an important accomplishment for the future. I wish you the best of luck!

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I'm so bummed! We just had our civil union in Vermont and I didn't know about the journalism student's project! Good luck with the project. I hope this is a positive portrayal of civil unions.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to our mail. It was very meaningful to us to receive your email. We would be happy to share our wedding experience with the site. It also looks like a reporter and photographer from the Netherlands will be attending the ceremony to write a story for a Dutch newspaper. Even though this is a very personal milestone in our relationship we welcome the opportunity to bring attention and enlightenment in a positive manner to the cause. Thank you for your support! (Ohio)

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My partner of four years, (-----) and I, are going to Brattleboro Vermont for a civil union. The ceremony will be held on October (-----) and be performed by Justice of the Peace (-----). We are very excited about the event. We are planning to honeymoon in Hawaii. The ceremony will be very simple, in a park across from the town clerk's office by a gazebo! How romantic. It will be just the two of us, no guests, so I guess this would qualify as an elopement. We are taking the train from Penn Station in New York City. Even though our civil union will not be recognized here in New York, we feel that the more couples that do this, the better it will be in the future, when someone throws some figures around! We are currently registered as domestic partners within the city of New York and we want more rights as a couple! Your website has been very helpful in our quest! (New York)

My name is (-----) and I just saw your request for a couple to be the subject of your photo essay. My partner, (-----), and I will be having our civil union this weekend in Shaftsbury, VT at the (-----). The ceremony will be Saturday morning. I realize that this short notice, but if you are in the area and still looking for subjects please give us a call. We live in Ohio and will be flying into Vermont. (Ohio)

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I was wondering if you had any information on where in Vermont same sex couples can get "married". What steps need to be taken to do this as well. Any information will be helpful.

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Hi. We are planning to visit Arlington, Vermont Oct (-----) and would like to get married. Could you please instruct us on the procedure and where we can go to have this take place. Thank you.

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My partner has had to take a job in New Mexico. Currently, they do not have any laws that would prevent same-sex marriage from being recognized in New Mexico. The company she works for does not have health benefits for same-sex partners, but does have them for married couples. My question is, if we get married in Vermont could we then go to New Mexico and try to be recognized as legally married? (Colorado)

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I am writing a essay in my college composition class on gay marriages and I thought you might want to hear my thesis statement and if you would like I can e-mail you the whole paper when I have finished. "People cannot help who they fall in love with, so what makes society think they can choose for them." (Michigan)

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Hello. My name is (-----) and I am a student at (-----) University. I am doing a paper on gay and lesbian relationships. I was wondering if someone can send me some information on gay and lesbian adoption, such as websites or stats on how common or uncommon it is. I don't have any firsthand information but I am really interested in writing this paper and any information would help. Thank you. (New York)

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I am looking for a domestic partnership affidavit. Any clue where I can find one on the net?

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Hi, my name is (-----), me and my partner (-----) are planning to "register" our relationship. We are residents of NY state and we would like to know what are the steps to become a couple in civil-union. In other words, we want to get married! If you can provide information that we need to know and things we need to do, send them to us. (New York)

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My partner and I are hoping to come to Vermont at the end of the month to get a Civil Union. Are there particular parts of the state that are more comfortable with this than others? We want this to be a happy experience. I'm not interested in some dour old man frowning at me on a happy day. Let us know.

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Me and my wife live in PA. We had a holy union in PA in a church with all our family and friends, but we both know it isn't legal! We are considering coming to Vermont to have it done. When we come back to PA, will it still be legal? Will I be able to claim her? Will she be my next of kin? Can I take her last name without having to pay $1000 of dollars to take her last name? Any info you have would be greatly appreciated. (Pennsylvania)

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My lover is a Canadian and I am an American citizen. We want to get married in Canada. Will this make me a Canadian automatically? Will I lose my citizenship from America ? If I do become a Canadian citizen, how long will it take? Do I have to live there before we get married? If there is any other information you can provide please help me if you can. Thank you.

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We are planning to be in Burlington, VT the first week in November. We have been together for 7 years and would like to get married. What do we need to do?

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My Fiancée and I are planning on going to Vermont early next year to obtain a Civil Union. We've been engaged for over 5 months now and we want to make our relationship legal. We both follow the criteria for the Union, though there are some other details involved. She's 18 and I'm 19. Hopefully the fact that we're both young doesn't affect our eligibility in any way. She lives in Nevada and I live in Sydney, Australia. I will travel over at the end of this year and spend time with her for 3 months. I've already checked out the immigration laws in my country which allows the migration of same sex partners. As you can probably guess, I want to bring her over here to live with me and the Civil Union would be a great proof of our commitment when applying for her visa. I'm not sure if the Vermont Civil Union allows non-residents of the US to apply or not. I'd like to be informed about this very soon. So if everything is fine and things work out in the end, then hopefully we will be another happily,  very much in love,  committed Civil Union couple.

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My partner and I are planning to have our wedding in NY next September, however, we are interested in obtaining a union certificate from Vermont since NY will not legally recognize us as a couple. Who should I contact for information on how to get started with this process? Any info you can give us will be greatly appreciated. Thanking you in advance. (New York)

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Please send info. I am a proud lesbian in love and ready for marriage.

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My mate and I would like to come to Vermont. We would like to stay in a gay and lesbian resort. We would like any information you have on civil union marriages. Please contact us as soon as possible. Thank you. We would like to go sometime in the beginning of November. My wife-to-be's birthday is in November.

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You as so many like you have said nothing. You speak empty words and call that support for your cause, you slander your opponents and call us bigots and how evil we are and thus you believe that gives your side merit. Gays are wrong. I myself have nothing against a man loving another man, as brother loves brother or buddy loves a buddy, but what makes it gay, what makes it homosexual and what makes it immoral is the desire to have sex with the same individual. I do not for an instance believe there is any justification in this. I know you will label me as someone not worth talking to, because you live behind a curtain of lies and deceit and anyone who penetrates this curtain is ignored. Gays had the same rights as me, they wanted more, and in the process of doing so they threw out sister and sister and brother and brother. So the Civil Unions Bill was only for them. A man who (sexually explicit material omitted) has some serious mental disorders and should be committed to a mental hospital for some serious therapy. Not accepted by society. That is as immoral as one can get. I love my dog but I am not running around the house after her. Priests love God and yet they practice celibacy. Maybe gays should, too, if they are so confused as who they are. Gays are deranged and have no place in our Society. If they are sincere about being a female, let them get a sex change operation. Same for the lesbians. There is nothing normal about homosexual behavior and there is nothing hateful about people pointing out how wrong they are. Murder is wrong and I will point that out, stealing is wrong and I will point that out. Homosexuality is wrong and I will point that out. It is not to be compared to somebody who is born with a different color of skin. Anytime a gay wants to call some self discipline and learn what their feelings are about they will find that they are heterosexuals but are weak and give in to the thrills of kinky sex and perversion. That is a sin in any Bible and it is also unacceptable in any Society. I and so many like me will vote and work hard to put the Gays back in the closets and out of view of any young adolescent eyes. They serve no purpose to mankind and they have no position earned in any society. There is nothing in our Constitution that even remotely speaks of Gays or Gay rights. Matter of fact, the Constitution uses the word "right" less than 10 times and it is usually used as the "the right of the people" and not a right of a class or group, etc. The right of the individual is used only 4 times. Nowhere does it refer to the practice of sex or gay beliefs. I have found no reference in the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence or even the Gettysburg Address. So where are all of these so called rights you claim you have? Where are they written and where are your guarantees? Where is all of this bunk written. Show me, quote it for me. (Vermont)

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My question is simple. I'd like to know where gay marriage is legal, and where it is not. And, if you cannot supply that information, please give me the resources that I need to fill that informational gap. Its just something that interests me, and I'd like to know, because personally I don't believe that it's right to have a law against gay marriage anywhere. So, if you could help me, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

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When you get married in a union in Vermont and get a license in a same sex relationship, do you have to get a legal divorce and/or what does one have to do? Thank you.

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Can you go to Vermont from another state and form a civil union? Also I would like to know how to dissolve a prior domestic partnership in NY. Thanks for your help. (New York)

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Hi. Me and my girl want to get married. We live in NH. We know that we can in Vermont but I don't know how to go about doing it. I want it to be very special. Can you help?

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Hi there! My name is (-----) and I am looking for a clip art image of two women together that would be appropriate for the front cover of a holy union program. I have searched several different sites and found little if anything I can use. Do you know of any? Are there any on your site? Please help, my holy union is in (-----) and I have to finalize my program so it can be sent out for printing. Thanks for your help.

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WOW. Thank you for very much. I have never had an email that so thoroughly answered my questions before. I will keep in touch. Much appreciation.

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Would very much like information for a civil union in Vermont, hotel, BB, closest airport, process before, during, etc. Help. Time growing short.

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Does Vermont have a gay newspaper? And if so how can I get a copy?

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Hi, I am student at (-----) and I am doing a research paper on Proposition 22. I was surfing on the web and stumbled upon your website. Your website was really helpful and I was wondering if you had any more information or personal views on Proposition 22. If you would like to know my standpoint on the issue, I honestly am against Proposition 22. I don't know if it even matters, but I am heterosexual and yet at the same time I do believe homosexuals should have the right to have their marriages recognized. It's outright discriminating. So if you could help me in anyway you can, please send me any information on this issue (especially personal views and standpoints, even if you have information on people who support this proposition and what their reasonings are). Thanks so much. (California)

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I am a gay male who's currently in a relationship and I want to get marriage, but don't know the correct way to do it. I would like some advice to were I can go to get advice or where I can get married. Thanks.

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Thank you so much for your well wishes!  KP and I have been very busy the past few days (as you might imagine) and the kind thoughts and wishes from the public have been overwhelming.  It may interest you to know we have received no negative feedback, no hate email messages, no telephone harassment, etc. The support both locally and nationally has been absolutely wonderful.  Good luck with your site. Carolyn Conrad (Vermont)

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