Advocates for the gay and lesbian community in Illinois are rallying behind a civil unions bill sponsored by state Rep. Greg Harris (D- Chicago). The bill, which would grant same-sex couples many of the same rights as married couples, awaits a vote in the House and would then need to clear the Senate.

This political path is similar to that taken by activists in Vermont, where gay marriage was legalized last week by the state Legislature, years after Vermont had embraced civil unions. In essence, advocates' thinking goes like this: If a gay marriage law seems unlikely, a civil union bill can help to secure state rights for gays and lesbians while allowing the public and politicians to get more comfortable with the idea of same-sex couples.