Currently there are approximately 1,400 civil rights and legal protections denied homosexuals and same sex couples by the government of the United States.
Here is a short list of (one hundred and fifty civil rights and legal protections) of these denied rights and protections:
The right to have our marriages legally recognized
Filing joint income tax returns with the IRS and state taxing authorities
Next of kin privileges for hospital visitation, medical decisions and death benefits (and before anyone is foolish enough to suggest that such rights can be conferred by extensive and expensive legal document please note that the possession of a power of attorney does not confer these rights if the hospital chooses not to accept that power of attorney and hospitals have the right to deny recognition as well as deny visitation to anyone but the parent (if the patient is a minor) and/or the legally married spouse of the patient they are treating.)
Obtaining priority if a conservator needs to be appointed for your spouse (Because our marriages are not legally recognized the even legally assigned conservatorship can be revoked at the request of any blood relative and re-assigned to without that relative showing cause.
Bereavement leave form work
Wrongful death benefits
Receiving veterans' and military benefits for spouses, such as those for education, medical care, or special loans.
Pension benefits
Health insurance benefits
Social security benefits
Automatic inheritance rights. (again there art those who will claim that a will take care of this. If you believe this I suggest you actually investigate probate law where you will find this is definitely not the case.)
Joint adoption (Current law allows for only one person of a same sex couple be the adoptive parent meaning that in the event of the death of that person their spouse has no parental rights regarding their child and in the event of the untimely death of that legal adoptive parent the surviving parent has no parental rights.)
Joint custody of minor children (see above)
Family discounts at business, insurance companies and the like
Accidental death benefits for the surviving spouse
Employment discrimination (yes individuals can be denied jobs simply because of the sexual orientation and have no legal recourse)
Award of child custody in divorce proceedings
Beneficial owner status of corporate securities
Denial of legal protection guaranteed under the constitution preventing the forced testimony against a spouse.
Burial of service members dependants
Denial of military benefits
Consent to post mortem examinations
Continuation of rights under existing homestead leases
Control, division, acquisition and disposition of community property
Criminal injuries compensation
Death benefits for surviving spouse for government employee
The right of a legally married foreign same sex couple to declare themselves married on visas.
Disclosure of vital statistics
Receiving wages, workers' compensation, and retirement plan benefits for a deceased spouse
Exemption from estate taxes for all property you leave your spouse
Exemption from gift taxes for all property you give your spouse
Division of property after dissolution of marriage
Eligibility for housing opportunity allowance program of the Housing, Finance and Development Corporation
Exemption of claims of Department of Human Services for social services payments, financial assistance or burial payments
Exemption from conveyance tax
Making burial or other final arrangements in event of spouse death
Exemption from regulation of condominium sales to owner occupant
Access to family medical leave
Homes of disabled veterans exempt from property taxes
Creating life estate trusts that are restricted to married couples, including QTIP trusts, QDOT trusts and marital deduction trusts.
Income tax deductions , credit, rates exemption and estimates
Inheritance of land patents
Insurance licenses, coverage, eligibility and benefits organization of mutual benefits society
Legal status with partners children
Making, revoking and objecting to anatomical gifts
Nonresident tuition deferment waiver
Notice of guardian ad litem proceedings
Notice of probate proceedings
Payment of wages to a relative of deceased employee
Payment of workers' compensation benefits after death
Permission to make arrangements for burial or cremation
Proof of business partnership
Public assistance from the Department of Human Services qualifications at a facility for the elderly
Real property exemption from attachment or execution
Right of survivorship to custodial trust
Right to be notified of parole or escape of inmate
Right to change names
Right to enter into premarital agreement
Right to file action for nonsupport
Living in neighborhoods zoned for "families only."
Suing a third person for offenses that interfere with the success of your marriage, such as alienation of affection and criminal conversation (yes this is a right of heterosexual couples)
Right to inherit property
Right to purchase leases and cash freehold agreements concerning the management and disposition of public land
Right to sue for tort and death by wrong full act
Right to support after divorce
Right to support from spouse
Rights and proceedings for involuntary hospitalization and treatment
Rights by way of dour or courtesy
Rights to notice, protection, benefits and inheritance under the uniform probate code
Social security benefits on the death of spouse
Sole interest in property
Spousal privilege and confidential marriage communications
Spousal immigration benefits
Tax relief for natural disaster losses
Vacation allowance on termination of public employment by death Veterans' preference to spouse in public employment
In vitro fertilization coverage
Waiver of fees for certified copies and searches of vital statistics
joint foster care
joint insurance policies for home, auto and health
protection from denial of health insurance
protection from denial of home and auto insurance
Protection for housing discrimination
Creating a "family partnership" under federal tax laws, which allows you to divide business income among family members
benefits such as annuities, pension plans, Social Security, and Medicare
wrongful death benefits for a surviving partner and children
crime victims' recovery benefits
Car ownership automatically transfers to a spouse, but not to a surviving partner
The right to serve openly in the armed forces
And hundreds of other protections and rights