Same-sex couples married in Canada who are not Canadian nationals will have to go back to Canada if they wish to divorce each other. This is because the United States and many other countries still do not recognize same-sex marriage as a legal bond. A rumor is spreading that the Canadian government is dissolving all same-sex marriages performed in Canada for foreign couples...this is not true!
Here is the truth--even if your same-sex marriage was performed in one of ten nations that have legalized same-sex marriage, it is not recognized by the federal government of the United States as a legal bond. It will not guarantee you health benefits, inheritance, Social Security payments, tax deductions, child custody, or property. It means if there is any sort of imbalance in your relationship, the state is unlikely to help you out in any way, and good luck finding marriage counseling.
The Canadian government has advised all same-sex couples to work with lawyers to draft nuptial agreements and contracts, thus paying even more money out of pocket just to prove their bond to each other.
Insufficient data exists about the stability of same sex relationships as opposed to heterosexual relationships. Gays and lesbians around the world risk persecution, torture, or death if they come out. Gays and lesbians in "safer" countries still have a more difficult time finding potential mates than heterosexual people, and do not always have role models for functional same-sex relationships. There is still no societal expectation for gay or lesbian children to get married and raise a family, as there is for many heterosexual children, so gay and lesbian adults are probably more likely to say that finding someone for a committed relationship is truly their decision and desire.
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