For years, the legalization of same-sex marriages has been the topic of many debates. On July 20, 2005, the Civil Marriage Act became a law in Canada. The Civil Marriage Act extended on the current definition of marriage. Not only did the Act expand the definition, it also described legal benefits of same-sex marriages. Under the legislation, the couples receive equal treatment as married heterosexual couples, as well as veterans' benefits, divorce and income taxes. The purpose of the act was to recognize that many courts have found that equality rights include the right to marriage without discrimination based on sexuality.
Canada is not the only country recognizing the importance of equal rights. As of right now three other countries are in support of same-sex marriage-Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, with a fourth, South Africa on the way. Currently, only one American State has passed the equality law. As of May 17, 2004, Massachusetts began marrying gay and lesbian couples,......

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Title: Gay Marriage
Approximate Word Count: 573
Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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