Danielle would love to wear a white dress with all the frills. She also would love to see her fiance, Karen, wear a similar dress, just like she wears a nearly identical diamond solitaire ring.

Karen smiles at the suggestion and agrees that she probably will wear a dress.

Danielle Hill, a senior psychology major, and Karen Frost, a graduate student, are engaged.

Danielle and Karen’s engagement marks an milestone in their life, but they have little control over the legality of their proposed union.

Current Illinois state law prohibits marriage “between two individuals of the same sex.” Former Gov. Jim Edgar (R) signed into law Senate Bill 1140 on May 24, 1996.

Illinois also does not offer domestic partner benefits.

In March, Cook County Clerk David Orr announced his office would not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

DeKalb resident Cassandra Liddell, 21, and her partner, Andrea Drott, a junior accountancy major, are not seeking a marriage license.

Cassandra said she chooses not to focus on legislators’ opinions of same-sex marriages but relishes what she has instead.

“I don’t care. I feel married. I love my wife to death,” she said.

About 20 friends watched as Cassandra and Andrea were joined in a commitment ceremony officiated by a friend at Hopkins Park in DeKalb.

“She’s never looked so beautiful to me as she did that day,” Cassandra said.

A commitment ceremony is a ceremony in which two partners publicly announce their lifetime commitment to each other.

The government does not recognize commitment ceremonies.

Same-sex couples do not have visitation rights or the power to make medical decisions for one another in emergency situations.

Karen said this is the most poignant of the rights she and Danielle may never hold as a couple.

She also said she fails to see how her marriage would undermine the sanctity of a traditional marriage.

Danielle said she has a deep respect for tradition, including the institution of marriage. She understands people feeling threatened by a fundamental change to an institution that they have come to rely on.

“We shouldn’t mess with that word [marriage],” she said.

Danielle said she would like to see same-sex couples receive the same benefits as married couples. Same-sex couples could use the term “civil union” instead, she said.

Andrea and Cassandra said they aren’t going to wait for anyone to decide on a term or bestow upon them the legal right to declare what they already have.

When Andrea finishes school, they plan to move to Canada where they think they can marry legally.

Whatever the future of gays and politics, Cassandra has one hope.

“I just want people to be able to be,” she said.