You’ll remember a while back that the California legislature passed a measure legalizing same-sex marriage — a historic move that made them the first legislature to do so without first being prompted by the courts — and governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it.
Well, now one of the groups working to put a same-sex marriage ban […]
For same-sex couples in New Jersey’s Monmouth County, but not for Laurel Hester. Still her story is compelling that even Republicans are capable of getting it.
Spurred by a controversial case in neighboring Ocean County, the Monmouth County freeholders voted unanimously yesterday to extend pension benefits to the domestic partners of select gay and lesbian […]
I did a doubletake just now when I looked at my referrer links and saw Salon.Com among them. So I took a look, and it appears that Salon.Com’s Broadsheet has picked up on Laurel Hester’s story. Thanks, in no small part to Pam’s post over on Pandagon.
It’s good to see her story spreading. I […]
Michael Jensen over at The Big Gay Picture Laurel Hester’s story from the beginning, as I have. Today he let me know that he has posted an
interview with Laurel Hester. It’s a three part interview, with parts two and three to come. Check it out, and you’ll learn a bit more about Hester than any […]
While at the Rainbow Families/DC holiday party yesterday, I heard a bit about Barbara Kinney and Tibby Middleton — a senior lesbian couple who fled their home of 17 years in Fredericksburg, VA for Frederick, MD after Virginia’s lawmakers rose up against families like theirs. After 30 years together, they weathered being lesbians in Utah, […]
The Ocean County, NJ, Freeholders hear from a minister who gets it. This is worth posting in full.
Freeholder took moralistic tone
As the pastor of a church that welcomes all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age or sexual orientation, I read with special interest the remarks of the Ocean County freeholders denying the request of […]
There’s something that’s been bugging me as I’ve been blogging about the plight of Laurel Hester and Stacey Andree — the lesbian New Jersey law enforcement officer dying of lung cancer, and her partner Stacey Andree who will lose their home because county officials refuse to approve domestic partnership benefits that would help her keep […]
For Laurel Hester, it’s come down to begging. After 24 years of service to her community, as an investigator for the county prosecutors office, Hester is now reduced to begging that simple justice and basic humanity for her family. Hester’s fighting two battles, one against lung cancer and another against a conservative county government that […]
Gay Brits, that is.
RELATIVES of same-sex couples who sign up to the new Civil Partnership agreements could benefit from Inheritance Tax savings of up to £900m.
By registering a partnership under new legislation which comes into force today, gay and lesbian couples can, at last, ensure their inheritance ends up where they choose - and experts […]
That’s Dubya you see in the picture, putting the smooch on Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (CO-04, R) at a Denver fundraiser for her re-election campaign. For those who may not know, Musgrave is the mother of and prime mover behind the Federal Marriage Amendment, to ban same sex marriage and deny marriage or “marriage-like” benefits […]
Last night, before going to bed, I copied my previous post about Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree — the lesbian couple dealing with one partner’s impending death from lung cancer, and the reality that the surviving partner will lose their home because county officials refuse to pass an ordinance that would allow that inheritance — […]
Take a good look at these five guys. They are the face of compassionate conservatism, or at least one of its faces. They are the five Ocean County freeholders who denied lesbian cop Laurel Hester’s request that her pension go to her partner Stacie Andree. Hester is dying of lung cancer, and her pension […]
I wrote earlier about the plight of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. Hester is dying of lung cancer and when that happens it’s likely that Andree will lose the home the couple has shared because she will not receive Hester’s pension benefits. The situation could be alleviated if the county passed domestic partnership legislation as […]
Talk to me all you want about why gradual social change is the better in the long run, but there’s not much of a chance I’ll buy it. It’s easy to say when you’re not the one needing the change to happen, but justice delayed is justice denied to someone. When it comes to couples […]