2008 Woodie Awards
Offer domestic partner benefits
By: GUEST COLUMNIST
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Forum
Should lesbians and gays have the right to marry?
Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines marriage as the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law.
However, I contend that this definition is subject to change based on historical time period, geographical location, and cultural traditions. In contemporary America, marriage is simply a personal commitment, a relationship of mutual love, support and respect.
Unfortunately, couples who are denied the right to marriage are also denied access to health care, medical decision-making parenting rights, inheritance, taxation, Social Security and other government benefits.
According to a 2004 report by the General Accounting Office there are more than 1,138 ways in which married people are accorded special status under the law.
That's just from the federal government. If you add in state level protections as well as the infinite privileges marriage brings in private and public life we are talking about serious discrimination.
Still, I recognize that marriage is also, for some, a religious commitment. This is one reason it has become so controversial for same-sex couples to join together.
So let's forget about marriage for a second.
Do you realize that here at our own institution, Bowling Green State University, partners of faculty and staff do not receive the same benefits that are extended to spouses?
This includes medical and dental benefits, dependent life insurance, bereavement and sick leave, family medical leave and child resource services, just to name a few.
This is where our University lags behind: We do not currently offer a domestic partner benefits package as do many universities in our state such as Ohio State University, Ohio University and Miami University.
We need to take a step forward and offer some basic benefits. When other Ohio universities enacted their new policies, the costs were minuscule and the policies were well received by students, faculty and staff, and community members.
Whatever your beliefs on gay and lesbian marriage, can we agree to disagree and put those differences aside?
Each individual spouse and partner of a university employee deserves the civil right to certain benefits. As same-sex partners do not currently have the right to marriage, a policy needs to be enacted that will extend to them the benefits that spouses receive.
If we prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation and marital status, then our policies must reflect it.
We need domestic partner benefits, and we need them now.
I urge you to contact your Undergraduate Student Government representatives, write a letter to Dr. Ribeau or to a member of the Board of Trustees, or to voice to opinion in the local paper or here in The BG News to share with others that you will not stand for this discrimination any longer.
- Ashley Rearick is a senior majoring in French. Respond to her column at thenews@bgnews.com.
Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines marriage as the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law.
However, I contend that this definition is subject to change based on historical time period, geographical location, and cultural traditions. In contemporary America, marriage is simply a personal commitment, a relationship of mutual love, support and respect.
Unfortunately, couples who are denied the right to marriage are also denied access to health care, medical decision-making parenting rights, inheritance, taxation, Social Security and other government benefits.
According to a 2004 report by the General Accounting Office there are more than 1,138 ways in which married people are accorded special status under the law.
That's just from the federal government. If you add in state level protections as well as the infinite privileges marriage brings in private and public life we are talking about serious discrimination.
Still, I recognize that marriage is also, for some, a religious commitment. This is one reason it has become so controversial for same-sex couples to join together.
So let's forget about marriage for a second.
Do you realize that here at our own institution, Bowling Green State University, partners of faculty and staff do not receive the same benefits that are extended to spouses?
This includes medical and dental benefits, dependent life insurance, bereavement and sick leave, family medical leave and child resource services, just to name a few.
This is where our University lags behind: We do not currently offer a domestic partner benefits package as do many universities in our state such as Ohio State University, Ohio University and Miami University.
We need to take a step forward and offer some basic benefits. When other Ohio universities enacted their new policies, the costs were minuscule and the policies were well received by students, faculty and staff, and community members.
Whatever your beliefs on gay and lesbian marriage, can we agree to disagree and put those differences aside?
Each individual spouse and partner of a university employee deserves the civil right to certain benefits. As same-sex partners do not currently have the right to marriage, a policy needs to be enacted that will extend to them the benefits that spouses receive.
If we prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation and marital status, then our policies must reflect it.
We need domestic partner benefits, and we need them now.
I urge you to contact your Undergraduate Student Government representatives, write a letter to Dr. Ribeau or to a member of the Board of Trustees, or to voice to opinion in the local paper or here in The BG News to share with others that you will not stand for this discrimination any longer.
- Ashley Rearick is a senior majoring in French. Respond to her column at thenews@bgnews.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Kristin
posted 4/17/08 @ 11:41 AM EST
I agree with Ashley. Extending benefits to partners will not harm anyone, but denying them will.
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