Wednesday, May 21, 2008

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT MARRIAGE AND THE LAW?

The law used to make marriage the dividing line between first class children (born to married parents) and second class -- or worse -- children (born to unmarried parents). The Los Angeles Times published my op-ed about the Supreme Court ruling 40 years ago that marked the beginning of the end of this distinction. When I argue today that marriage shouldn't be the dividing line between relationships the law counts and those it doesn't, I am advocating a continuation of a set of changes that altered the meaning of marriage forever, including ending wives subjugation to their husbands and allowing no-fault divorce. This change -- giving constitutional rights to children born outside marriage and their parents -- is the least recognized change that took place in the era of 1968 and the early 1970s....but it might be the most important!

No comments: