A group of 21 same-sex couples is suing in Michigan courts to see if last November’s vote banning gay marriage also means they will lose spousal benefits. Michigan was among 13 states last fall that passed measures banning same-sex marriage. Last month Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said the new constitutional amendment also meant partners of gay state workers would not be eligible for health benefits in future contracts. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit on behalf of 21 same-sex couples asking courts to clarify whether the vote also means the loss of benefits for partners, The New York Times reported. Supporters of last fall’s amendments, including the one in Michigan that passed on a 59-percent-to-41-percent vote, say they are trying to make state constitutions reflect public sentiment regarding marriage being only between a man and a woman. Opponents told the Times, the amendment was really a “bait-and-switch,” and that voters didn’t mean for the measure to mean the end of benefits to homosexual partners. © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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