What Happens When Gay and Lesbian Couples Call it Quits?

When a couple decides to divorce, there are laws to define the process and protect their rights. But what happens when the couple is gay?

Most state laws don’t recognize legal unions between gay and lesbian couples and as a result, there are no laws to define a divorce either.

But in The Complete Gay Divorce, Brette McWhorter Sember shows you how to make the legal system work, even when you’re ending a non-legalized union.

Divorce is a big business in the United States. There are thousands of divorce attorneys, huge state systems set up to deal with the large volume of cases, marriage therapists and more books than you can count about divorce. Yet somehow, gay and lesbian couples have been forgotten in all of this.

At 203 pages (excluding supplemental material), The book looks to be a quick read but don’t let its size fool you: inside, you’ll find that its full of invaluable information.

How do you divide property and debts? What are your rights when children are involved? And what’s the difference between a legal parent and an emotional parent? These are just a few of the questions that a divorcing gay couple will face. Where state laws provide the answers for heterosexual couples, gay and lesbian couples seem to be left on their own. But the truth is, there are answers to your questions – even legal resources to help you through the process and fortunately, Semper takes you through them all.

• Identify the signs of a struggling relationship and make an informed decision about how to end it
• Learn how to negotiate the end of your relationship without a lengthy court battle
• Discover how to create a spousal support plan that works for both of you
• Get advice about child support and visitation when you’re not the legal parent

Sember’s straightforward manner gives you all the information you need to start moving forward from a breakup. From legal and financial concerns to the emotional drain from ending a relationship, The book addresses all the issues that a gay or lesbian couple might face during a breakup or divorce.

When your relationship ends,” she writes, “it’s a divorce whether or not your state recognizes it. When you are married in your hearts, you go through the same emotional steps a couple married in the eyes of the law goes through. The label for what you’re going through doesn’t change the impact is has on your personal life.”

In addition, you’ll also find support information, websites and state specific information, making The Complete Gay Divorce a rare valuable resource for gay and lesbian couples enduring a separation – or “divorce.”