Shut Up, Be Gay (Happy)

I'm baaaaaaaaaack.

There have been a couple things in the news recently that I have been meaning to discuss, but one has particularly stood out.. so let's get to it.

Obama recently signed a memorandum extending benefits to same-sex partners of gay federal employees. On July 5th it was implemented at the State Dept, and yesterday at work I received a management notice detailing exactly what benefits same-sex partners are entitled to. Here is the list -
"The Department of State intends to provide the following benefits and allowances for declared same-sex domestic partners serving overseas:
- Diplomatic passports
- Inclusion on employee travel orders to and from posts abroad
- Shipment of household effects
- Inclusion in family size calculations for the purpose of making housing allocations
- Family preference for employment at posts abroad
- Use of medical facilities abroad
- Medical evacuation from posts abroad
- Emergency travel for partners to visit gravely ill or injured employees and relatives
- Inclusion as family members for emergency evacuation from posts abroad
- Subsistence payments related to emergency evacuations from posts abroad
- Inclusion in calculations of payments of overseas allowances (e.g. payment for quarters, cost of living, and other allowances)
- Representation expenses
- Training at the Foreign Service Institute"

Quite frankly, I think the list is some bullshit - pardon my french. I have nothing against the gay community; my issue is the federal government has basically recognized gay partners as family members, essentially giving them many of the same rights as a married couple. The Defense of Marriage Act states that - "The federal government defines marriage as a legal union exclusively between one man and one woman." I am not here to debate the morality of whether gay people should be allowed to get married or not, and personally I have no problem with it. Fact is, by federal law they aren't allowed. So why is the federal government giving them some of the same benefits that are reserved for married couples? All one must do to obtain benefits for their same-sex domestic partner is file an affidavit stating that they intend to remain together, and live together. What kind of precedent are we setting when all one has to do to attain benefits for another is file a form? And why can't I file a form stating that I live with my girlfriend, and I plan to be with her so she can get the same benefits?

If they could get married and have it recognized by the federal government then this would not even be an issue. But they can't, and it is. The memorandum is too slippery of a slope, and can be easily manipulated. In no way should a non-married couple be entitled to many of the same benefits as a legally married couple, regardless of sexual preference. Simply put, it is unfair. I recognize the reasoning behind why it was done, however. This was the only option to advance gay rights significantly in a short period of time; gay marriage will be a tough battle to win. The memorandum was a step the Obama administration needed to take in order to appease their gay constituents.

Yet gay rights activists are still adamantly complaining that Obama has not given them anything, that the memorandum was only a incremental move; that they should be given much more. Looking at that list, I think the memorandum was a MAJOR first step(and I have not seen the list for other federal agencies, but I am sure it is much of the same thing). Even Obama himself acknowledged, "This is only one step", and he knows there is still much more to be done. My advice to gay rights activists everywhere, 'Shut Up, and Be Gay', and by gay I mean happy. The federal government took a significant step towards giving you what you want. Yeah he hasn't repealed the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in the armed forces, and yeah you didn't get full health insurance benefits - but still you have made progress. Obama has only been in office but for so long, give him a chance, and you will eventually get more of what you are fighting for. I am not downplaying the importance of your struggle, I am just saying be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day.