What are the differences in the rights between a civil union and marriage?

The propositions passed to ban gay marriage (which I disagree on), and others have told me that gay couples can have civil unions and have the same rights as married couples- I suspect that isn't true though. Can someone provide more information on differences (if any) between the rights of a married couple and the rights of a civil union couple?What are the differences in the rights between a civil union and marriage?
You're correct, civil unions don't have the same rights. They aren't federally recognized, meaning that couples that enter into one are denied 1,049 right granted by the federal government with marriage. See my sources for a list of these rights.





Also, since civil unions aren't federally recognized, they aren't subject to the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution, meaning that they aren't recognized outside of the state in which they occurred.


What are the differences in the rights between a civil union and marriage?
Civil unions are recognized at the state level and civil unions are not necessarily recognized in other states. Marriage is recognized at the federal level and a marriage in one state is recognized in all 50 states. Married couples have the rights, benefits, or protections that federal law gives to married heterosexual couples, such as the ability to file joint federal income taxes or receive federal spousal benefits through social security or other federal programs. Civil union couples do not