Marriage

====Civil unions====
{{Main|Civil union}}
[[File:New York City Proposition 8 Protest outside LDS temple 20.jpg|thumb|left|Various advocates of same-sex marriage, such as this protester at a demonstration in New York City against [[California Proposition 8 (2008)|California Proposition 8]], consider [[civil unions]] an inferior alternative to legal recognition of same-sex marriage.<ref name="Towleroad">[http://www.towleroad.com/2008/11/we-did-it.html NYC Protest and Civil Rights March Opposing Proposition 8], [[Andy Towle]], Towleroad.com, 13 November 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.</ref>]]

A ''civil union'', also referred to as a ''civil partnership'', is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with [[Same-sex marriage in Denmark|Denmark]] in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in several countries in order to provide [[homosexuality|same-sex couples]] [[rights]], benefits, and [[Moral responsibility|responsibilities]] similar (in some countries, identical) to opposite-sex civil marriage. In some [[jurisdiction]]s, such as [[Same-sex marriage in Brazil|Brazil]], [[Civil union in New Zealand|New Zealand]], [[Same-sex marriage in Uruguay|Uruguay]], [[Recognition of same-sex unions in Ecuador|Ecuador]], [[Civil solidarity pact|France]] and the U.S. states of [[Same-sex marriage in Hawaii|Hawaii]] and [[Same-sex marriage in Illinois|Illinois]], civil unions are also open to opposite-sex couples.