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Newlyweds Amy and Alex were married in Washington, D.C. in 2010. Eager to start a family, they went through artificial insemination to conceive a child.
Married couples are entitled to 1,138 federal rights benefits and privileges. Under the Defense of Marriage Act, same-sex couples are denied these rights, even if they are legally married.
In the state of Virginia, same-sex couples are banned from adoption. Since Alex is not the biological parent, she will be considered a "legal stranger" to the child.
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