colony or slate. men and women were only parents as long as it served the purposes and timetable of the slave holder. the practice of coveture meant that free white women could marry but they couldn t initiate divorce or have sole custody of their children, couldn t own property or enter into legal contracts. slavery is over and coveture has ended so it is all equal at the altar of family now. not exactly. as a matter of policy, the altar is still a defining framework of family. our laws continue to make it clear we value one kind of family over all others, married couples. married couples enjoy economic benefits in areas of taxes, estate planning, employment, medicine, dealt, housing, not to mention social es schemteem. what if your family is a same-sex union. they only have marriage rights in nine states in washington, d.c. that leaves family in 41 states