Man Arrested for Refusing to Leave Domestic Partner's Hospital Room

Image from source, TowleRoad

I've been following this story with a great deal of interest, though I will be upfront and say that there could be more to the story than we know. But what we do know sounds fairly damning. It is also heart-breakingly familiar. Surely happening down through the ages, but coming to light in the 80s during height of the AIDS crisis, the story of the "shunted aside gay life partner at the hospital bedsinde" has been told enough to become a cliché.

But that's all over now, right? Couldn't happen now, in 2013. Especially after President Obama signed an executive order to stop this sort of thing. And--much as conservatives are always suggesting--these guys had a power of attorney, so they could make each others' medical decisions. Didn't matter. A disagreeable brother was given the "next-of-kin" treatment, despite the patient's protestations, and the actual next-of-kin was thrown to the ground, handcuffed and removed from the premises.

Now, as I said, things could turn out to be less simple than that. The partner who was arrested was allegedly disruptive. But I tell you what, if my Other Half were in the hospital, and I was told to leave as though I were a stranger? I do believe I'd be disruptive too. Wouldn't you?

What this unfortunate incident illustrates (regardless of any further revelations) is that separate is not equal. A domestic partnership or civil union does not equal marriage in situations like this. As I said, this has happened so much in the past that it is cliché now. Isn't time to admit that marriage equality is necessary to right wrongs like this one?

[Excerpt]

Gay Man Arrested at Hospital for Refusing to Leave Sick Partner's Bedside



Roger Gorley was arrested at the Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri on Tuesday after he refused to leave the bedside of his sick partner Allen, WDAF reports: He says when he got there, a member of Allen’s family asked him to leave. When Gorley refused, he says hospital security forcibly removed him from the property and put him in handcuffs.“I was not recognized as being the husband, I wasn’t recognized as being the partner,” Gorley said. . .

Read more at: TowleRoad

Illinois Legalizes Civil Unions for Same-sex Couples

Image from source,
Raw Story

It's not marriage. And even if it's "the next best thing," it's still not good enough in my opinion. But, it's a step in the right direction. And gay Americans can be happy that most of the little steps lately have too. Of course, any time progress is made in the area of gay rights, the opposition pitches a bitch, and vows to undo it. And they keep trying, and sometimes they log a victory. But they're on the wrong side of history. Mark my words.

[Excerpt]

Illinois legalizes civil unions for same-sex couples



Illinois became the 12th US state to extend legal recognition to same-sex couples Monday after its governor signed a law allowing for civil unions. . .
 
Read more at: Raw Story

Captain Obvioius: It's Not About the Word "Marriage"

In nearly every vote in every state to "protect marriage" (which is first a misnomer, and second shouldn't be up for a vote in the first place), one of the common arguments is that "marriage" is only for a man and a woman.  Words--apparently--are ironclad and never change, and it certainly shouldn't be up to homos to "redefine" the word.  This argument will quickly be followed up by oh-so-sincere declarations that civil unions would be fine, and that the problem is with the word marriage. 

I've known this was a bogus argument for a long time, as surely as I know that religion is an excuse that is a cover for (as Mike Huckabee put it) the "ick" factor.  But that's a different argument for a different Captain Obvious column.  What evidence do I have, you might ask, that would prove that this is about more than the word marriage?  Well, first there was the "everything but marriage" act in Washington State. The same forces that have marshaled against same-sex marriage used the exact same arguments in Washington, even though it was not marriage being proposed there. And in Hawaii, just yesterday, it happened again.

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Hawaii's governor vetoes same-sex civil unions

Hawaii's governor vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have permitted same-sex civil unions, ending weeks of speculation about what she would do with the contentious, emotionally charged issue. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

NV Senate & Assembly Override Governor's Veto on Civil Unions

Photo of Gov. Gibbons from TPM Muckraker

Well, boy howdy, who'd have thunk it? Gov. Jim Gibbons--a man embroiled in a nasty divorce, complete with embarrassing affairs--was all high and mighty about "traditional marriage" and tried to put an end to a civil unions bill here in Nevada. But the state senate and assembly have surprisingly overridden Gov. Happy Pants' veto.

I have no idea how this will effect The Other Half and I, who were legally married in California (and, surprise again, still are). But woo-hoo, way to go Nevada! Of course we still have that pesky constitutional amendment blocking true equality. And DOMA. But it's a start!

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Assembly overrides veto; bill becomes law Oct. 1

Read it at: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Support for Same-sex Marriage Growing

Image from Sydney Morning Herald

While the results of this poll are heartening, I still do not see what "popularity" has to do with civil rights. Giving women and blacks the right to vote wasn't popular. Integrating the military wasn't popular. Eliminating "seperate but equal" wasn't popular. Interracial marriage wasn't popular. We managed to do all of these things without once voting on them, or taking a poll to see if they were "popular" or not.

And before somebody gets bent out of shape for my use of gender and race in my comparison, please remember this: there are gay women, and there are gay African-Americans. Please ask Wanda Sykes if the comparison is valid. Mmmkay?

[Excerpt]

Poll: Support surges for gay marriage

"When voters in California, Florida and Arizona approved measures banning same-sex marriage last month [the graphic at right does not include these latest votes], opponents lamented that the country appeared to be turning increasingly intolerant toward gay and lesbian rights. But the latest NEWSWEEK Poll finds growing public support for gay marriage and civil unions -- and strong backing for the granting of certain rights associated with marriage, to same-sex couples. (Click here to see the full poll.)

Read more at: Raw Story