This Legal Guide is a great resource for lesbian and gay couples in almost every situation.
Wading through red tape and legalities is never simple, however, for marginalized populations it can be astoundingly and earth shatteringly complicated. In fact, sometimes I would seem as if the law was implemented in order to hinder people.
This is certainly the case for the LGBT community. Laws can vary from state to state and are written in a foreign language:Â legal jargon. The Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples is written in plain English and can help couples:
-Marry or register as legal partners
-Jointly buy a house or property
-Manage finances if one partner is incapacitated
-Â Make medical decisions for one another
-Make a living will or trust
-Navigate adoption, surrogacy or foster parenting
-Deal with the end of a relationship
Comprehensive and exhaustive, the group is a must have resource for gay couples starting a life together, as having children or ending a relationship can be complicated even for those with mainstream lifestyles. This book also leaves no topic uncovered, from explaining DNR requests to state by state explanations of how to start and end relationships, it certainly appears as if every question has been answered.
The best part? The CD-ROM that accompanies it includes software that helps couples create, among other things, cohabitation contracts and powers of attorney. This makes it hard to mess up normally complicated forms.
Personally, I think this book is extremely easy to understand. This is helpful should someone be in a stressful situation. Instead of having to spend hours navigating complicated legal texts - something that only compounds a difficult situation - this makes marching orders and which directions to follow very clear. It also comes with a thorough and useful index that allows the reader to jump right to the section featuring their inquiry. On page 321 there is a guide to using the CD-ROM. Literally, it is impossible to get lost throughout this book. Something important for many who are not well versed in law.
As same sex marriage and marriage equality are catapulted to the front page of every newspaper, this nation will see plenty of support and backlash. The Universal Life Church Ministries wants to ensure that every couple's rights are protect, something this book strives for as well. Pick up a copy at the ULC Bookstore.
