Standing next to their significant other, among their family and friends, knowing that they will have access to benefits that heterosexual married couples enjoy is a breathtaking vision for many gay and lesbian couples in California.

By approving of civil unions in California, there will be compensations that benefit all, economically, socially and morally, but still may be seen as controversial to others.

There are various states in the U.S. and other countries where civil unions and same-sex marriages are accepted, such as Vermont and Massachusetts.

Denmark was the first country to approve of civil unions back in 1989.

In Roman Catholic Spain, they too believe in freedom and equality and demonstrated in 1998 by allowing 11 autonomous communities to recognize civil unions.

This nation is known worldwide for freedom and equality, but in many cases, gay and lesbian couples want to unite and buy a property, but legally, if one were to die the other would not inherit anything.

Another right that could benefit all would be for homosexual couples to legally become home owners which will help the economy for California.

By recognizing civil unions in California, homosexual couples who decide to adopt or have children will have parenting rights and responsibilities whether they continue with the marriage or not.

This will benefit all children, especially those who are adopted, to be exposed to a healthy upbringing by having the love and support from their parents.

This will also create fewer psychological problems or social problems for children of America’s future to deal with, thus creating a new, more open-minded generation.

Nonetheless, the main factor keeping civil unions controversial is that society has been raised to imagine a “fairytale wedding.”

Having a man and woman unite in front of an altar and pronouncing their love to each other is what America expects.

However, times are changing, and even the traditional image of marriage in this country is slowly vanishing.

The rate of divorce is increasing by the minute and according to statistics from the California judicial system, traditional marriages in California are failing at a rate of 65 percent.

Many Californians are afraid of change, and don’t want to know what can happen, but everyone must take a chance and realize that one will never know how things may be until they are done.