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President-elect Trump is now a convicted felon; At least 10 dead and whole neighborhoods destroyed in LA firestorms; Local concerns rise over Ohio's hydrogen project; New MI legislator rings in the new year with the pending new law; Ohio River Basin would get federal protection under the new legislation.

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House lawmakers take aim at the International Criminal Court, former President Jimmy Carter is laid to rest in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, and another fight looms over the Affordable Care Act.

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"Drill, baby, drill" is a tough sell for oil and gas companies in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rising sea levels create struggles for Washington's coastal communities, and more folks than ever are taking advantage of America's great outdoors.

Report: Marriage equality strengthened families but many worry for future

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Monday, June 24, 2024   

Twenty years after the first state permitted marriage equality, a majority of same-sex married couples said it had a profound positive effect on their lives.

A new report finds it strengthened couples' relationships, provided legal protections, financial security and greater acceptance among family and friends.

Abbie Goldberg, professor of psychology at Clark University, said marriage equality is part of a public health agenda.

"They have access to health insurance. They are physically and mentally healthier. They're able to share the sort of challenges and work of raising children," Goldberg outlined.

Still, Goldberg said nearly 80% of couples surveyed worry about the future of marriage equality. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have both suggested the high court revisit Obergefell v. Hodges, the decision which legalized same-sex marriage in 2015.

The report reveals same-sex married couples are also concerned about what they call an increasingly hostile environment in the U.S. More than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced since last year, including in New Hampshire, where lawmakers have advanced measures targeting transgender youth.

Goldberg noted concerns are forcing couples to consider relocating to more accepting states, or even outside the U.S.

"It's creating not just legal uncertainty but propelling them to think about the future in ways that require time, money, planning," Goldberg explained.

Goldberg added marriage equality created families and the report details the positives to ensuring people are protected. Almost 60% of participants said marriage provided more stability or security for their children, and often created new in-laws who could help.


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