I think it's great that a marriage certificate "changed everything."
“I was respected,” he said. “From that moment on, I was next of kin. They were amazing.”
But my next thought is, would a civil union have brought the same level of respect? It is great the Illinois made civil unions legal, but the truth is they are not the same as marriage when it comes to rights and treatment.
I am grateful for the civil union legislation but also realize it is just a stepping stone.