Same-Sex Relationships

Same-sex couples and their families must be treated fairly under the law. While a handful of states and a growing number of municipalities offer protections from domestic partnerships to civil marriage, they do not cover the majority of same-sex couples in the country. Lambda Legal seeks protections for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people whose relationships are not formally recognized by the government. Our work in this area began in the 1980s when we fought for health care and survivor benefits for the partners of lesbian and gay public and private employees and continues to this day. We deal with situations involving decision making for medical emergencies, funerals and disposition of loved ones' remains; fighting discrimination in housing or public accommodations; equitable division of property upon separation or the death of one of the members of the relationship; and fair treatment in areas like employment benefits, government assistance, taxation, domestic violence protection and death benefits.

Find more resources for Protecting Same-Sex Relationships