EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & MUNICIPAL REGISTRATION FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES:

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Same Sex Benefits in the Workplace:

It is not unusual for companies in the U.S. to have programs having health-care benefits to the partners of heterosexual employees. Some are now extending them to the partners of their homosexual employees as well; this is one indicator of the growing acceptance of homosexual committed partnerships as equivalent to heterosexual marriages.

David Smith, spokesman for The Human Rights Campaign said that the number of U.S. firms offering such benefits has exploded since 1992. ₁ He feels that the main reason is economic: many companies need to offer these benefits in order to attract and keep employees. 

Studies have shown that these extended programs are not costly. Fewer than 1 percent of employees in a typical company opt for same-gender partner benefits. The percentage of employees who are gay or lesbian and in domestic partnerships is estimated to be considerably higher. But most of their partners are employed and thus may already have their own benefit plan.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, ₂ as of mid-2000:

Reaction from conservative Christian groups:

At first glance, it would seem surprising that conservative Christian ministries and denominations would oppose health benefits for same sex partners. These groups have long been opposed to promiscuous behavior, and one of the best way to encourage monogamy is by promoting marriage, common-law heterosexual relationships and same-sex unions. But there is an over-riding concern here. Religious conservatives frequently believe that people chose their sexual orientation during their teen years. They also feel that God hates homosexual behavior. By maximizing discrimination against homosexuals, they fell that the number of youth who "choose" to be gay or lesbian will decrease.

Some comments on domestic partnership benefits are:

Registration of same-sex relationships by American cities

During debate in Congress in 2001-SEP, it was revealed that since 1992, 113 cities had implemented domestic partnership legislation.

Weldon introduced an amendment that would restore the ban. The amendment was defeated 226 to 194. Washington DC is expected to be the 114th city offering domestic benefits in the near future. ₇

Barrett Duke, a spokesperson for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention expressed opposition to the Ashland registry. He apparently believes that such a registry is the first step down a slippery slope that will lead to eradication of the nuclear family:  "I think there are a lot of people out there who believe they do not have a right to impose their own moral values on others. They're willing to let other people make decisions about their lives as long as it doesn't affect them, and they don't see it will have any impact on their own lifestyles. They fail to recognize that acceptance of the new relationships is a first step toward the breakdown of their own lifestyles. These folks do not understand that when (pre- and extra-marital) sexual relationships are encouraged and same-sex marriages allowed, their children will be exposed to a much different mess than they were exposed to. What for us is considered fringe, our children will consider normal and the next step -- whatever it might be -- can be taken toward the further abolishment of the nuclear family." Duke expressed concern "that so few pastors and churches are speaking out on these important issues. If the church is silent, there is no voice for God." He apparently believes that Methodists and Unitarian Universalists do not speak for God -- only conservative Christians.

Matt Foreman, executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda, a gay-positive organization, said his group had received commitments from several relief organizations to assist homosexuals who had lost their domestic partner in the attacks. However, he said: "No matter what kind of work we do and no matter how successful we are with the Red Cross, with United Way, with these various relief funds, gay and lesbian survivors are still going to face a huge inequity. No matter what work we do, we're not going to be able to get them to tap into the key long-term government supported programs." Such programs are for heterosexual couples only. ₈

Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, a Fundamentalist Christian organization, said money should not be granted to homosexuals who lost partners in the attack. He said that: "[Relief organizations] should be first giving priority to those widows who were at home with their babies, and those widowers who lost their wives. It should be given on the basis and priority of one man and one woman in a marital relationship. This is just another example of how the gay agenda is seeking to overturn the one man-one woman relationship from center stage in America, taking advantage of this tragedy." It is not clear whether he is advocating that married widows and widowers without children should have their support cut-off. It is also not clear whether he would wish that heterosexual widows and widowers with children should be supported by relief organizations. We have Faxed the Traditional Values Coalition for clarification.

References:

1. Sorry, we have lost the citation for this statement.
2. Human Rights Watch have a web site at:
3. "Coca-Cola extends benefits to homosexual partners," Baptist Press, 2000-JUN-26. Online at: http://www.mcjonline.com/news/00/20000626a.htm
4. "Amoco and Mobil offer same-sex benefits," American Family Association, at: http://www.afa.net/alert/aa980212.shtml
5. "AT&T adds same sex benefits for homosexual employees," American Family Association at: http://www.afa.net/alert/aa980514.shtml 
6. Egale has a a list of employers in Canada which grant same-sex benefits at:  http://www.egale.ca/features/employer.htm
7. "House extends benefits to gay couples in Washington," Fox News, at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/
8. Matt Pyeatt, "Survivors of Terrorist Victims Granted Domestic Partnership Benefits," CNSNews, at: http://www.cnsnews.com/
9. "House extends benefits to gay couples in Washington," Fox News, at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/