民事结合(civil union，又称公民结合或民众结合），是用于表达类似婚姻这种民事状态的术语之一，通常它的目的是为同性恋伴侣提供与异性恋伴侣相同的权利。它也可以用来表示不希望进入法定婚姻，而更希望处于一种类似于普通法婚姻（common-law marriage）的结合的异性恋者结合。
尽管奥巴马声称支持民事结合，但是他反对同性婚姻。
Although Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, he is against gay marriage.
罗德岛也可能考虑同性婚姻，并已经认可到别处办理的民事结合。
Rhode Island may consider gay marriage as well, and already recognises unions performed elsewhere.
他说本人将支持同性恋者的民事结合，并促使各州就同性婚姻的合法性问题做出表态。
He said he would support civil unions between gay and lesbian couples, as well as letting individual states determine if marriage between gay and lesbian couples should be legalized.
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