DP Benefits to Federal Employees

Quick note. First of all, there's a lot of yelling about Obama these days -- and I won't say I'm not part of the problem, sometimes, as I've said some negative stuff in the past few weeks, but I don't think I'm as angry about it as much as other people. Partly because he's still on our side, and I still believe in him... in a way.

And he can do some things, and it seems he might be starting to. From the NYTimes, via a new Blogger friend and soon to be blogrolled at Columbus Gay Realtor:

President Obama will sign a presidential memorandum Wednesday to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, administration officials said Tuesday evening, but he will stop short of pledging full health insurance benefits.

Mr. Obama is expected to announce, in the Oval Office, the details about which benefits would be provided. It is the highest-profile statement he has made on gay issues, and it comes as he faces intense criticism from several gay-rights leaders over what they suggest has been a failure to live up to campaign promises in the first months of his presidency.

Mr. Obama will be weighing in for the first time on one of the most sensitive social and political issues of the day: whether the government must provide benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. While he will announce a list of benefits, officials said, they are not expected to include broad health insurance coverage, which could require legislation to achieve.

“Extending benefits to partners of gay federal employees is terrific, but at this point he is under enormous pressure from the gay civil rights community for having promised the moon and done nothing so far,” Richard Socarides, an adviser to the Clinton administration on gay issues, said Tuesday evening. “So more important now is what he says tomorrow about the future for gay people during his presidency.”

So, even though it's not exactly what we're looking for, it is a huge step in our favor. Maybe it will be enough to calm everything down. With all the hullabaloo that's exploded over the blogosphere the last few weeks over the perceived injustices, I am reminded of a scene in Primary Colors when the new primary challenger, Fred Picker, entered the race and everyone is pumped and screaming and shouting and he steps up and says: "You know, maybe we should all just calm down. Maybe we just all need to sit down, take a breath, and stop yelling so much."

I mean, that's not an exact quote, but it's pretty close. Anyways, it's all got me thinking. Maybe this wouldn't happen if we hadn't been yelling... or maybe it would have. Or, maybe there is a plan?

And in other news...

To round out the super-big gay news day, here are some bits you may have missed on the interweb this afternoon:

• Illinois' civil union bill has died, left floundered and unvoted on as the session ended. It passed the House fairly easily, but the Senate let it sit along with a lot of other bills, including cigarette taxes, medical marijuana, and a helmet law. It can come back next session, however, as they have two sessions to bring it up again.
  
• Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler is seeking a legal opinion about whether that state can acknowledge same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, despite laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Former Assistant AG Robert Zarnoch wrote an opinion that it would not be allowed under current law, but stated the issue was far from settled.
  
• Maine's voter drive to repeal the same-sex marriage law there is taking shape. Rev. Bob Emrich has said that 5,000 petitions are being circulated to collect the requisite 55,000 signatures to put a referendum on the ballot to overturn a legislative action.
• After the House in New Hampshire came to a compromise on the seemingly never-ending process that is their marriage equality bill, Gov. Lynch has said that he supports the new language and will vote for it. A vote is expected this week; we may have another state by Friday.
  
• On June 3rd, the Uniting American Families Act, which would allow individuals to sponsor their same-sex partners from a different country for citizenship, is holding its first hearing this Wednesday. The House bill (HB 1024) currently has 102 cosponsors; the Senate bill (S. 424) has 17.
• IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (H. 2517) was introduced into the House by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to give certain benefits to the partners of federal employees on May 20. There are currently 64 co-sponsors, and it has been referred to three different committees for consideration.

And, finally and most important locally, the Equal Housing and Employment Act will hold its second hearing in the Government Committee of the Ohio legislature. Slated to speak: Lynne Bowman (Equality Ohio), Michael Payton (Ohio Civil Rights Commission), Bishop Ough (of the United Methodist Church), Mayor Warren Copeland (Springfield, OH), Jimmie Beall, Jim McCarthy (Miami Valley Fair Housing Coalition), and Ron Templin (on behalf of Cardinal Health, which will be the first time the Cardinal has ever made a political testimony on anything). Testimonies will be up at Do What's Right, Ohio by Thursday morning.

Congratulations, Nevada!

And Nevada joins the ranks of states that have acknowledged some level of same-sex relationship. Yesterday, the Nevada Assembly passed the domestic partner law over the governmental veto 28-14 (barely 2/3 to override):

The bill provides that domestic partners have the same rights as married couples in matters such as community property and responsibility for debts. It also prohibits discrimination against domestic partners.

Critics contended that domestic partners can sign private contracts to accomplish many of the goals of the bill, and that it conflicted with the intent of Nevadans who voted in 2002 for a constitutional amendment supporting marriage between a man and a woman.

The measure states, among other things, that no "solemnization ceremony" is required and it's "left to the dictates and conscience of partners entering into a domestic partnership" whether to have such a ceremony.

Currently, Nevada's constitution has a legal definition as between a man and a woman, but, unlike Ohio's which bans anything that looks like marriage, it is a little more lenient.

Congratulations to Nevada!

The Good and the Bad

I've been working for 24 hours, many apologies for not updating.

On the one hand, we have the very very good: 

The Nevada Senate has overridden Gov. Gibbon's veto 14-7 (exactly 2/3) of the state's domestic partner law. The bill now returns to the House to be voted on again. Hopes are high, lets hope the votes are, as well. Gov. Gibbons and others feel that, since you can get a lot of the same rights through private contracts, a DP law is unnecessary. In short: we're desperate for a reason that doesn't make us look like homophobic bigots and this the best we can come up with.

And then we have the very very bad:

Doctor George Tiller, a women's health physician in Wichita, Kansas who performed

abortions, was shot and killed this morning at his church while he was serving as usher. Tiller is no newbie to violence against abortion providers, having survived another shooting in 1993 and a bombing of his clinic in 1985. You know, it's funny because I don't think we've heard about this kind of out-and-out violence for a long time ... and it's also funny because I distinctly remember that Kansas was the closest place you could go for a late-term abortion when I worked at Planned Parenthood. Strange and disturbing.

I suppose assailants justify it by saying that they kill one, whilst the good Doc has "killed" so many. To quote Cider House Rules: "We deliver the mother or the child." 

Oh, and thanks to Timmy for this: this is the sixth anniversary of Eric Rudolph, who performed the Atlanta Olympic bombing as well as the bombings of several abortion clinics and bars throughout the late 1990s. Weird.

Anyways, thanks to JereKeys for reminding me to post these today.

A Tale of Two Nevada Legislations

In a double-whammy (well, sort of), two bills advanced to the Governor of Nevada -- one vetoed and one passed. Wanna bet which one is which?

If you guessed that the Governor approved was the domestic partnership law, you'd be wrong. Following through on his promise, Governor Gibbons vetoed the DP law stating that it was contrary to the wishes of Nevada voters who approved a ban on same-sex marriage in 2002, but that his veto does not mean that he believes that "domestic partners are in any way undeserving of rights and protections."

Fine. So, it seems reasonable that he should sign it, per his conscience.

Meanwhile, a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression made it through on Friday. Apparently, discriminating is bad for business in a state famous for its tourism.

Amazing: Nevada has officially moved farther in the movement than Ohio.

Quick News Round-Up

Just wanted to cover a couple of quick bullet points this morning:

• Washington State's "everything but marriage" law was signed by Gov. Gregoire, giving same-sex couples all the rights of marriage except for the word. It is considered the most sweeping DP law in the country. Per the Governor: “Despite the sameness, the absolute sameness of straight couples and gay and lesbian couples, nonetheless here in the state of Washington we saw discrimination. We saw inequality that had to be addressed.” The law will go into effect in July, though a referendum may occur in November.
• Rochelle Hamilton should win the awesomest teenager of the year. She took on Vallejo City School District over harassment after she came out... and won in a settlement. In the suit, Hamilton states that she was forced to attend a group therapy session that taught kids how not to be LGBT. The settlement includes a requirement for the district to make a more stringent anti-harassment rule, come up with a way to deal with complaints, and provide training for staff and administration. Well done.
• The Assembly of that state Nevada passed a DP law 26-14, will likely pass the Senate, but Gov. Gibbons states he will veto it (unfortunately, we do not have the votes to override). I think I also heard Nevada will be passing a sexual orientation protection bill (no gender), but I can't find the newssource.
• Obama's pick for the head of the CDC, New York's Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Friedan is drawing some heat from AIDS activist. Per Housing Works: "Frieden has simultaneously employed an authoritarian, my-way-or-the-highway approach and an unabashed secretiveness undignified of a public servant. He has excluded AIDS groups wherever possible from having input into life-and-death AIDS funding, testing, and care policymaking decisions."
• More ongoing weirdness in the Florida gay adoption ban: you still can't adopt if you're gay in Florida, but the state must recognize out of state adoptions to same-sex couples.
• And in pop culture, Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon plans to marry long-time girlfriend Christine Marinoni; and Fergie comes out as bisexual.

I know, I know, not a lot and it's real quick. Bad, bad homosexual blogger.

Cleveland's DP Registry Opened Today

On the steps of City Hall, same-sex couples gathered to register as partners in the City of Cleveland, making it the third Ohio municipality to grant the symbolic recognition (after Cleveland Heights and Toledo). News reports indicate that approximately 75 couples registered today.

What a beautiful thing. Check out the video below from Fox8's coverage (if the video doesn't work, click here for it and the news story).


And in a somewhat unexpected endorsement, the Cleveland Plain Dealer (which, I guess, isn't all that conservative... I guess I'm just tainted by the Enquirer :-)) ran an amazing op-ed piece by columnist Regina Brett:

Those who claim the registry is only a symbol get no argument from me.

Yes, it's a symbol. So is a cross. So is a flag. A symbol carries as much power as you give it.

Not one protester showed up, not one person jeered. One man rested his hand gently on his partner's shoulder. Another man wrapped his arm around his lover's waist as a rabbi told the crowd, "It is not enough to love the people who are like us."

We must do more.

Yes, Ms. Brett, we must do more. Though I'm disappointed that we are excited by pittance and small wins, I am overwhelmed by the amazing turnout, the positive coverage, and the supporters who stood up and said, "This is right." As far as symbols go, this is a powerful one. Ohio has one of the most constricting DOMA's in the country -- not even allowing institutions that look like marriage -- so relationship recognition in the state's second largest cities, and the most high profile of the big three ("Cleveland rocks!"), is not only a coup but a powerful statement for change and equality.

It's time to start -- slowly -- welcoming Ohio into the 21st century.

And, as to be expected, the CCV sent out a nasty little call to action opposing the registry. Thanks to Wolfie at Back2Stonewall.com:

“It’s a sad day for any society when elected officials believe they are above the law,” said Miller. “The registry created by the Cleveland City Council is an obvious attempt to do exactly what the constitution says they cannot do, which is to “create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.”

Meh. It's to be expected, and we'll deal with their hatred later.

For now, let's be happy for ourselves and our state. In the last few months that we've seen marriage equality blossom around the country, but it's good to remember that we still have a fight to win here, and that we, too, may win.

Cleveland DP Registry Opens in Two Weeks!

...and the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland wants to register 300 couples the moment it does.


I don't know how many Cleveland readers I have -- guess is not a lot? -- but if you are and you want to register, this is your moment! Imagine 600 people on the steps of Cleveland's City Hall -- all being recognized by their city! It would be a beautiful thing. Incidentally, I think you can register even if you don't live in Cleveland...

And how about Cincinnati getting a DP Registry, you ask? Cincinnati Beacon has the answer. Well, sort of.

Weird Marriage Stuff

Well these certainly are unique approaches to the equal marriage movement (and, might I say, smart moves):

• California has a new bill that proposes to strike marriage from California law, period. Make everyone get a DP and let the churches do the marrying ... which, actually, is not that unwise and would remove the whole church-state question known as "marriage" in our country. (Granted, I will say this: a lot of heterosexuals will feel like it's a down-size, I'm sure, which, I think, is the point of our argument.)
  
• Meanwhile, a bill in Iowa has been introduced that creates gender neutral marriage, as opposed to specifically saying "marriage is between a man/woman and a man/man and a woman/woman and..." You can see how gender neutrality would be helpful there. (Iowa, btw, may be the next state to judicially pass equal marriage. Seriously. We haven't lost a court case on this one yet.)

Well, that's about all the marriage stuff I can take today. :-)

Oh, but shit is building. Be prepared.

Idaho goes back to the 19th century

Idaho state Senators have killed a bill in committee that would protect people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, again. In a wave of states passing increasingly more inclusive bills and laws, we still have places left to fight, and fight hard.

From SeattlePI.com:

A state Senate committee on Friday rejected a proposal to forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

About 50 supporters of the proposed change to the Idaho Human Rights Act filed quietly out of the room, some in tears, after the Senate State Affairs Committee voice vote. Similar bills have been rejected in the past.

Idaho's 1968 Human Rights Act currently forbids workplace and housing discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color, national origin or mental or physical disability. The measure defeated Friday would have prohibited discrimination in employment, education and housing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Co-Sponsor Sen. Charles Coiner, R-Twin Falls, compared the gay, lesbian and transgender community's push to be included in the law to the push to forbid discrimination based on physical or mental disability.

"Their movement is a few years behind but it's moving forward," Coiner said. "We've got work to do."

Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, the state's only openly gay lawmaker, said because there is no due process for those in the gay, lesbian and transgender community who feel they are victims of discrimination, they "endure in silence."

"By virtue of its omission (from the law) many employers and many people feel that it's OK" to discriminate, said LeFavour, another co-sponsor.

Wait, just to clarify: gay rights is equivalent to rights for people with mental illness? Please, Mary, don't start with me. I'm telling you, weird shit is happening out there in the Rocky Mountain states.

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Stories I've not posted on because they are just, well, there:

1. Half of NJ voters support gay marriage -- NJ is one of the states on the "next" list for equal marriage.

2. Wisconsin may be getting a DP registry.

I mean, really, whoo-freaking-hoo. But, other bloggers are talking about, so I thought I might as well say something.

Straight People Getting civil Unions

Added @LeftCoastOracle to my list of people I actually follow on Twitter, seeing as how she seems to have some amazing news stories. This one included... (Note: she had also posted on the DADT thing just posted, but I had not seen it until QC.com had posted it.)

From The Washington Post...

The brief procedure of the Civil Solidarity Pact, or PACS in its French-language abbreviation, put Arnaud and Aurélie among the growing number of French men and women who are choosing a novel legal and social status, halfway between living together and marriage, that is helping change the way France organizes its families.

"It's a first step toward marriage," Arnaud explained after the businesslike ceremony in a corner of Marseille's graceful courthouse complex, the Palais de Justice. Then he rushed back to his office, and the beaming Aurélie returned to her art history classes. The white dress, champagne and honeymoon would be for later, perhaps much later -- perhaps never.

The PACS was introduced a decade ago by France's then-Socialist Party government. Parliament approved the measure only after a fierce debate because, although its wording was deliberately ambiguous, the arrangement was understood mainly as a way for gay couples to legalize their unions even though under French law they are not allowed to marry.

In passing the law without making it specific to gays, however, France distinguished itself from other European countries that have approved civil unions or even marriage for same-sex couples. As a result of that ambiguity, the PACS broadened into an increasingly popular third option for heterosexual couples, who readily cite its appeal: It has the air of social independence associated with the time-honored arrangement that the French call the "free union" but with major financial and other advantages. It is also far easier to get out of than marriage.

A long time ago, a friend of mine made the argument that Civil Unions and DPs are for gay people and "progressive straight couples," which is an argument that I always thought was wrong. Politically, it makes sense, but I never thought straight people would actually choose civil unions/DPs over marriage.

Apparently, I was wrong.

New in Gay Marriage

On the one hand, we have a Federal judge saying that DOMA may be illegal...

"The denial of federal benefits to same-sex spouses cannot be justified simply by a distaste for or disapproval of same-sex marriage or a desire to deprive same-sex spouses of benefits available to other spouses in order to discourage them from exercising a legal right afforded them by a state," [Judge Stephen] Reinhardt [of the U.S. 9th Court of Appeals] wrote.

On the other hand, we have a case that can't be brought to suit because of certain employment restrictions. So, no dice.

On the one hand, Gov. Schwarzenegger is finally speaking out and saying that we might be able to under Proposition 8.

On the other hand, gay marriage via legislative action in New York State is looking like something that will not happen until... groan... 2011.

On the one hand, Iowa will hear a same-sex marriage suit that looks likely to pass, Maine has unveiled a legislative bill to pass same-sex marriage, while New Hampshire is looking at two bills -- one to ban civil unions and one to pass gay marriage, Vermont is going to have a bill proposed this week or so, and there are several other states in the civil union/marriage fight this year...

On the other hand, we are not even sure the DP Registry in Cleveland will last the year (though it's gaining support).

Every step gained, another step behind. I'm hoping the gained steps are getting bigger, though.

Cincinnati Beacon Endorses a DP Registry

Thanks to the Dean of Cincinnati...

The City of Cincinnati should implement a Domestic Partnership Registry within currently existing offices as an additional source of revenue. By charging people a fee for filing their registration, the City can make a small amount of money. And, since this is not marriage, the homophobes should have nothing about which to complain. (In fact, wouldn’t it reason—if it makes money and lessens the tax burden, even if in a small amount, for everyone else—that groups like COAST should actually support this concept?) Additionally, by marketing the registry for those out of Cincinnati, perhaps by allowing people to download a form and mail a check (including an additional fee for out-of-town processing), even more money can be made as domestic partnerships from all over the country can mail in their money to Cincinnati to achieve registered status...

In all seriousness, I can see no logical argument against Cincinnati joining those Ohio cities that make money from allowing people to fill out a form. In fact, we should encourage more people to pay the City money to fill out voluntary forms, if it can help with a struggling budget and help pay for necessary services.

We gays know how to bring in the buck :-). Sadly, not much mention that it would be nice to see Cincinnati start stepping towards, you know, equality... and, you know, stepping in line with the rest of the country in offering benefits to their citizens.

But, any dream will do.

Damn it was trying my best not to quote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, but you win some, you lose some. :-)

Oh, and this may be in the works, there is a particular hell raiser in town that seems bent on causing problems for the city, and I absolutely adore his plan to get a registry into Cincinnati... over and above the middling efforts of Equality Ohio, the HRC, and the powers that be.

Cleveland's DP Registry Goes into Effect

YEA! Cleveland anti-gay pastors were unsuccessful at collecting enough signatures to stop Cleveland from enacting their recently passed domestic partner registry. The measure required 11,000 signatures and they only had "a few thousand" today.

A group of local pastors working to repeal Cleveland's domestic partner registry failed to collect enough signatures to trigger a referendum ballot, the Rev. C. Jay Matthews said this afternoon.

The group, led by the Rev. C. Jay Matthews of Mount Sinai Baptist Church, needed to submit about 11,000 signatures by Wednesday to put the issue to a citywide vote.

Matthews said only a few thousand signatures were collected. He blamed the failure on a narrow time frame over the holidays.

"We knew it was going to be tough," he said.

Religious leaders now will focus on a maneuver known as an ordinance by initiative. It requires 5,000 signatures and allows petitioners to submit legislation to repeal the registry. That legislation could be placed before voters if the City Council does not pass it.

Domestic partner registries do little more than a tip of the hat to gay people in relationships. It is the municipal government saying, "Indeed, this is happening." Nothing more, except that it makes insurance companies that offer DP benefits a little bit more comfortable because now there is some documented proof of a relationship.

Apparently, this is so awful to people who don't like gays that they want to stop it. SO AWFUL. Because, you know, we're redefining marriage and all that.

This movement to stop the DP benefit would be like trying to ban dancing because it's immoral and leads to thoughst about sex. Oh wait...

On an unrelated note, my father just lost his job because the company he works for can't support the six people in the office. They had to let half the staff go. Will someone kindly do a referendum against further job losses? No? No? Oh. Sorry. I, for a moment, thought we were talking about things that mattered.

Cincinnati's Domestic Partner Registry

In response to Cleveland's passage of a domestic partner registry, I ask you two questions:

1) What would it take to pass the same thing here?

2) Does it matter anyways? Is it worth it, in other words?

A domestic partner registry, btw, is nothing but municipal acknowledgment of a DP situation, which makes it easier for people who CAN access DP benefits to do the same. Almost no rights are bestowed.