Civil Union Controversy Wanes in Vermont

January 9, 2005

MONTPELIER, VT - Less than five years ago the idea of gay couples joining in a legal union akin to marriage was enough to rip apart the very social fabric of this small New England state that prides itself on its sense of community.

Yawning rifts opened between neighbors and even in families under the symbols of the two sides in the debate: black and white Take Back Vermont signs among opponents and green and white Vermont: Keep it Civil stickers for supporters of the state's first-in-the-nation civil unions law.

Now, after 7,364 same-sex couples from around the world have been legally joined as spouses, civil unions have become a part of that social fabric.

In a turnaround, Democrats who were largely blamed for forcing Vermont to confront the issue have returned to their place of political dominance in the Statehouse. The new General Assembly even includes five openly gay men, up from just one when civil unions were enacted.

I think there's still a small slice of the population who, for their own personal, religious reasons, can't abide anything to do with gay and lesbian people, said Steve Kimbell, a lawyer and lobbyist who represented civil- union advocates in 2000.

However, for a growing majority, the fact that life has gone on as usual means it's OK. More and more people are understanding who gay and lesbian people are around them, Kimbell said.You can't be mean to people you know. These are people in the fabric of everyday life.

Exit polls during this past fall's elections found that 36 percent of voters supported civil unions and 40 percent would support granting same-sex couples full marriage rights. Only 21 percent said there should be no legal recognition of gay relationships.

Vermont's resolution of the issue seemed tame by comparison to developments elsewhere around the country. A decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court legalized full marriage for gay and lesbian couples. That emboldened officials in several communities around the country to officiate over same-sex weddings.