Comments on: NYS insurers ordered to recognize same-sex marriages

By: Neil

Neil — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:55:20 +0000

David, you are right. Unmarried couples could be denied benefits. That’s OK. Our fight is for marriage equality.

The idea that we could be included under an insurance or company benefits that recognizes ‘couples’ rather than marriage is simply an attempt (regardless of the intent) to set up a ‘separate but equal’ classification.

Separate but equal never has or will work. If we are fighting for marriage equality we must fight until we have it. Unfortunately, in situations like this, there are folks who will have to begin their own fight.

I can’t say that unmarried couples shouldn’t have benefits . . . only that the fight for marriage equality should not be encumbered by unmarried couples or their classification. Unmarried couples have to make their own case. For gay people to make that case for them only dilutes our own challenges and muddies the waters for those who have the power to change the law.

Neil

By: David

David — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:20:29 +0000

The flip side of this is that organizations that offered benefits to same-sex non-married couples can now deny them benefits under the argument that since they can get married (elsewhere), benefits will only be offered to married couples (including same-sex). This has happened to me and my partner. He was informed that he can go to Canada, Connecticut, or Massachusetts and get married, but because of that, his partner (me) will no longer be considered for benefits. And so we’re off to Connecticut to get married, which will thus transfer to NY.

By: james

james — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:21:03 +0000

of course the same goverment wants our tax money but yet rights for get it

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:43:41 +0000

for anyone that hasnt looked at or joined “join the impact.com” i would suggest you do so it is a grassroots movement by US to get something done in this country

By: Morgan

Morgan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:35:59 +0000

L’orion,
I intend to start by demanding that my congressional senators (each US state has 2 senators from its own state to Congress and I am not sure how reps Maryland has there) for and house reps work now toward a repeal of the Federal DOMA(Defense of Marriage Act) and to be ready to resist all attempts to preserve DOMA

By: LOrion

LOrion — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:43:23 +0000

What about people married in other countries?? Good move, somebody force it! Enough is enough… Equality is Equality. Bigots can keep their Victorian morals to themselves and let the rest of us get on with repairing the ills they have caused us.

By: Trace

Trace — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:25:12 +0000

Yes, but to take the benefits from the insurance company it would have to be claimed as earned income.

This order alone does not put us on a level playing field.