Glennalicious

amen, brother. amen.

Amen. Amen. That is by far one of the best discussions of this topic I have read in a while. I'm sorry that you guys are subject to additional taxes without being told upfront. *HUGS*

Word.

Great rant Glenn! Sorry to hear about the taxes and it's shitty that they didn't tell you up front. My company has been taxing me each month for my partner being on my dental plan and as annoyed as I was when I found that out I'm really glad they did it that way. WWJD - he'd smite all the narrow minded a-holes that want to deny love between two men or two women. :)

Sorry, Glenn. And this is what we're supposed to be grateful for ... I'm tired of being told we're supposed to be happy for the little tainted crumbs that are thrown at us.

Scott and I are registered as domestic partners in Seattle and the State of Washington - maybe we'll go in person and re-do that. But we can't decide which of us would be more passable in drag.

RIGHT ON.

It sickens me to think of how different things might be if we had Gore in the white house, especially considering his comments of the past week supporting full marriage rights for ALL citizens.

Thanks for your rant - It helps to sometimes live vicariously through someone else's anger for a change :).

This happened to me a few years ago. I was able to get my money back from my employer after a little research because I paid more than half of my partner's living expenses (or something like that). It took a little research and some back and forth, but at the end of the day, I simply signed an affidavit and got my money back. I know this won't apply to everyone, but you should definitely do a little research and see if there is some way around it. It worked for me. BTW, I made about 3 times more money than my partner at that time and he wound up getting throat cancer that year. Since I had a "gold-plated" insurance policy, he got great care, there were literally no co-pays for the surgery and radiation and three years down the road, he's still cancer-free. He was also able to leave his low-paying job and move to a much, much better job because he didn't have to worry about health insurance. Now, he makes more money than me!!!

Also, you should be aware there is a bill before Congress regarding Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries. Please see http://www.hrc.org/laws_and_elections/5671.htm.

Good rant, though. It's an issue that warrants much more publicity.

I just peed myself a little.

It's really sucky that it would be locally taxable, since NYC supposedly recognizes your partnership. In DC, Domestic Partner benefits are federally taxable, but not subject to DC tax. I know that NJ is the same way.

This is exactly why Hillary's position that "the states should decide" on gay marriage is total bullshit.

Same crap deal with airline flight benefits..."family members" (wives, husbands, children) no taxes on tickets need be processed (absorbed by the company), but for domestic partners, full fed and international taxes apply...almost not even a benefit, because you end up paying almost the same for other non-spousal companions anyway.

As for Hillary, she woos us bigtime, but you know she'll fuck us over royally if it suits her reelection plan.

Amen!!!

I got so sick and tired of being told that gay relationships aren't "real" relationships, that "civil unions" are the same as marriages so just shut up and live with the different names, etc said by the anti-SSM asshats. Luckily, I get the chance to tell them to shove it up their posteriors.

My brother is right... as usual. It is truly a horrible thing that this discrimination exists. It's even more horrible that people that call themselves "Christian" continue to ignore everything Christ said about love. A friend of mine pointed out to me recently that "Christians are now known more for whom they hate than whom they love". A sad truth.
It's a good rant. A worthy rant. And, for the record... a person of faith who believes in Christ's message feels that God's son would have been proud of my little brother.

There is an IRS provision that will allow you to You can keep 100% of your medical benefits if your partner qualifies as your dependent. If you can prove that you contribute at least 50% of his support (e.g.: if you make roughly the same salary or if he makes slightly less). Please talk to an accountant. I had a similar issue and was able to qualify my partner as a dependent. There is a worksheet you can fill yourself to see if you come close qualifying (IRS publication 17 I think). Good luck!

another thing marriage does is prevent former spouses from running out on modest alimony payments just because they're feeling particularly vindictive. turns out the domestic partnership contract means very little then too. alas.

It's sad how some reactionaries are trying to taint the word "family" so that it will exclude every sort of family they don't like.

Welcome to mine.

Brilliant! You tell 'em!

Someday these bigots will get it, and even if they don't they will have to deal with it, 'cause our day will come!

Well done.

AMEN AMEN AMEN!

I can't add much more than that b/c that was a rant worthy of one of my own :-)

I really think we all should say f-the-usa and emigrate to Holland... all rational thought, creativity, art and intelligence would suddenly start speaking Dutch!

I almost feel guilty for being Canadian. This August past, after 20 years as a couple, R and I were married in a quite civil ceremony.

Not much was changed for us because OUR Federal Gov had extended same-gender, common-law couple equality from a federal perspective a few years ago. We've been filing jointly for a number of years now and my employer gives group benefit coverage was for all couples regardless of gender or married/common-law.

The marriage, blessed at the federal level, cannot be overridden at the provincial. Yes, it's a good idea to keep the card with us - a strange hospital may require some proof I'm his spouse but the same could be said for other couples when the question is "Can we perform this emergency procedure?"

I wish you and Derrick all the best going forward - frankly the same for your country.

Of course, if you and Derrick somehow found your way to emigrate up north... Montréal would be a nice location for you two - close to the border. Hint hint hint.

WHAT YOU SAID.