Indiana

A medical catastrophe has split a couple who have spent a life together. In March 2005, Patrick Atkins collapsed while on a business trip. He had a ruptured aneurysm and later suffered a stroke while hospitalized. Now his deeply religious family have taken over his guardianship - even barring his longtime partner, Brett Conrad, from seeing him. Phone calls are also no longer allowed.

What's been happening in the U.S. over the last ten years? A large increase in the number of gay and lesbian households in the middle of the country.