American Medical Assoc. says "End Marriage Discrimination"

The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a new policy which declares that excluding same-sex couples from marriage is both discriminatory and imposes unnecessary stigma.

The policy, adopted on June 20th, states:

"Our American Medical Association:  (1) recognizes that denying civil marriage based on sexual orientation is discriminatory and imposes harmful stigma on gay and lesbian individuals and couples and their families; (2) recognizes that exclusion from civil marriage contributes to health care disparities affecting same-sex households; (3) will work to reduce health care disparities among members of same-sex households including minor children; and (4) will support measures providing same-sex households with the same rights and privileges to health care, health insurance, and survivor benefits, as afforded opposite-sex households."

It was added that "marriage inequality is not only unfair, it literally places families in harm's way."

The AMA's policy reaffirms the consensus among professional medical, scientific, and social science communities, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, all of which support the freedom to marry.  The Canadian Medical Association and the Medical Associations of Western European nations concur.

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