Manystates，includingtheUnitedStatesandChina，haveremovedornolongerenforcetheirprohibitionsagainsthomosexualsexualconduct.TheUnitedStatesSupremeCourtinthecaseLawrencev.Texasrecentlyexplicitlyprohibitedlocalgovernmentsfromcriminalizingprivate，consensual，adultsame-sexsexualbehavior.AEuropeanCourtmadeasimilarstatementinthecaseDudgeonv.UK，andtheacommitteeoftheUnitedNationsstruckdownalocallawprohibitinghomosexualbehaviorinthecaseToonanv.Australia.
19.Whydogaysneedorwanttherighttomarry？
Gaysandlesbiansneedtherighttomarrybecauseofthevarietyofbenefitsrelatedtotaxes，property，healthcare，anddifferenttypesofinsurancethatcomewithmarriageunderthelaw.However，gaysandlesbianswanttherighttomarrybecause，asagroup，theyseekequalrecognitionoftheirlongtermrelationshipsunderthelaw.Itisaquestionofequaltreatmentforhomosexualandheterosexualpeople.
Thereareover3.1milliongaysandlesbiansinlongtermrelationshipsintheUnitedStates.Withouttherighttomarry，gaysandlesbianshavehadtofacenumeroushardships.Manyhavebeendeniedpermissiontosaygoodbyetoadyingpartnerinthehospitalandlostaccesstoinheritanceandretirementbenefits.IntheUnitedStates，therearemorethan1，100federalbenefitsandprotectionsthatcomewithmarriagethatarecategoricallydeniedtogaycouples，eventhosewhohavebeentogetherforover40years.
20.Whatisacivilunion？
Acivilunionisonemethodofgivinglegalrecognitionandprotectiontotherelationshipoftwopeople.Thistypeofarrangementcanvaryfromplacetoplace，butusuallyinvolvessomesortofrightsvis-a-visthirdpartiesandrightsofthetwopartnersvis-a-viseachother.Theserightscanincludehospitalvisitationrights，inheritancerights，andrightstohealthcareandpensionbenefits，amongmanyothers.NumerouscountriesaroundtheworldandstatesintheUnitedStateshaveemployedcivilunionsasatechniquetoprotectsame-sexcouplesandavoidmanyofthesignificantinjusticesthatcanresultwhenthelawprovidesnoprotectionforthelong-termrelationshipoftwopeople.