honey & ollie

The Courage Campaign is launching a campaign to restore marriage equality in California.

They need donations and support, even if it’s just to help their message go viral by spreading the word.

I’ve been married. I still am married legally, which confers upon me all manner of legal protections and rights, even though my husband and I separated 3 years ago and have no intention of ever living together again. We can file our taxes jointly, I am eligible for full coverage under his insurance, I’m still his wife in the eyes of the law. Because we never legally filed our separation, I am still legally entitled to half of his retirement benefits should I choose to pursue that, I am also liable if he runs up a ton of debt and defaults (and vice versa, if I have a brain spasm in a yarn shop with my AMEX card) on that debt. It is a connection we share, legally, and it is very different from domestic partnership. If I can enjoy those protections 3 years after separating, I don’t get why committed couples who are actively in relationship can’t. Whatever their gender. Domestic partnership does not confer the same protections as marriage. It emphatically. does. not. Taxation of domestic partners vs. married couples is one example of how the protections and rights differ. There are so many others. Domestic partnership was an important step forward, but it cannot be the final step. It isn’t good enough. We need to keep moving forward.

Please consider donating, or even better yet getting involved with Courage Campaign, in your community at the grassroots level, however you can.