Civil unions legal
The week's news at a glance.
Hartford, Conn.
Connecticut this week became the first state to license gay civil unions without being forced by a judge. The law—approved in April and enacted over the weekend—grants homosexual partners the same rights as married couples, a step Massachusetts and Vermont took because of lawsuits. The Family Institute of Connecticut, a conservative group, said it was “tragic” that the state was saying that “children don’t need both a mom and a dad.” But Randy Sharp, who got a license with his partner, Jeff Blanchette, said the law marked a “historic” step forward. The applications are identical to those for marriage licenses, except “bride” and “groom” are replaced with “party 1” and “party 2.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?
In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meat
The Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published