tax revenue

For gay couples, the April 15 tax filing deadline can be a reminder of the disparities they face, even in a nation that is becoming more accepting of same-sex couples. Gay couples often pay higher taxes because they don't get the federal tax benefits that go with marriage. And for couples in state-sanctioned domestic partnerships, civil unions, or same-sex marriages, filing federal income taxes can involve doing three sets of paperwork instead of one. ''It's a significant financial disability,'' said Beth Asaro, who last year entered into one of New Jersey's first legally recognized civil unions.

After a tormented existence as a father and a construction worker, a 57-year-old suburban Boston man underwent a sex-change operation. Then she wrote off the $25,000 in medical expenses on her taxes. But the IRS disallowed the deduction, ruling the procedure was cosmetic, not a medical necessity.

California's non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office is studying the economic impact of a state ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriages. Will the findings sway voters in the fall?

By a surprisingly bipartisan vote of 224-200, the House on Thursday passed an amendment banning the use of federal funds to support D.C.'s domestic-partner registry. The White House warned that President Bush would veto this year's routine appropriations bill for the District of Columbia if it did not include such an amendment.