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We must fight to protect rights for domestic partners
Commentary by Jim VanRiper
Why would anyone want to end Floridians' existing domestic partner benefits and rights?
That was the question asked in February in St. Petersburg when I attended the summit on marriage equality. Recently, the Michigan Court system ruled that their new constitutional amendment to block gay marriages and "marriage like" arrangements applied to domestic partner benefits. In Florida, the Supreme Court said our state's nasty proposed constitutional amendment did not violate the single subject rule. The Michigan amendment and the proposed Florida amendment are similar in language and intent. It seems obvious that the intent of this amendment could truly impact more than just gay marriage.
The proposed amendment means that thousands of Floridians risk losing benefits such as insurance and retirements. It is well known that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities benefit from employer paid domestic partner benefits. There are dozens of municipalities and hundreds of corporations that respect their LGBT employees by offering these benefits. What might not be so well known is that thousands of senior citizens are in domestic partner relationships simply to hold onto their retirement benefits and insurance plans because it is financially disadvantageous to be married.
Two years ago, the Florida LGBT advocacy organization Equality Florida helped form a broad based coalition of groups to defeat the so-called marriage amendment. This group is called Fairness for All Families. It is organizing for what will be a battle watched by the entire U.S. The fight will be expensive and time consuming, but we must all participate to turn the tide in Florida for not only what is right for LGBT citizens but also for all citizens. The support of your community organization, church, or business is important.
I encourage you to join the coalition and contact me to help this cause. For those who currently participate, you can expect changes in the meeting format soon, and you can count on a few house parties over the next couple years to help the cause. Equality Florida is using the meet-up process to extend their presence across the state in order to build the organization required to meet this challenge.
The battle over the marriage amendment is about to heat up. We did not ask for this fight, but we must defeat this threat. According to Gov. Charlie Crist, the Republicans don't have time in their agenda for the proposed amendment. I say, "good," but don't kid yourself, there are many who disagree with him.
For more information on Equality Florida and the meet-up contact Jim VanRiper, the meet-up organizer and co-chair of The Family Tree, Tallahassee's LGBT community center: jvanriper@Comcast.net.
To join the Tallahassee Equality Florida meet-up online www.rightsforall.meetup.com/189.
Contact Fairness for All Families at: www.fairnessforallfamilies.org/
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