About Me

Supreme Court Hears DOMA Case

By Charlotte Robinson, March 27, 2013
The Supreme Court has now heard oral arguments in United States v. Windsor case challenging Section 3 of the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), which defines marriage as between a man & a woman for all federal purposes. This is what denies our LGBT community 1100 rights, benefits & protections including the ability to file joint tax returns, receive spousal benefits offered by Social Security, such as survivor compensation & the ability to take advantage of estate tax breaks. Which is what the Edie Windsor’s case is all about. You see this 83-year-old woman was hit with a federal estate tax bill of over $363,000, which she was forced to pay when her legally married spouse Thea Spyer died of multiple sclerosis. After oral arguments Lee Swislow Executive Director of GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders’) the organization that brought gay marriage to America stated, “For every day DOMA continues to be enforced by our federal government, thousands of legally married gay & lesbian couples are denied critical protections. DOMA is a blatantly discriminatory law which targets a particularly disliked group, impacts important personal interests & represents a one-time departure from the usual process of allocating federal rights & benefits. Gay & lesbian couples who are legally married in their home states should be treated like all other married couples in this nation – with respect & dignity. I am confident this case got a fair hearing today in our nation’s highest court. This day has been long in the making & the question is not if, but when, this discriminatory law will be overturned.” Now we wait until June for a decision.
Updates to Come…:)
AUDIO: Listen To Celebrities Supporting LGBT Equality

No comments:

Featured Post

Capital Pride Alliance Honorees Event

Capital Pride Alliance has announced the recipients of the 2023 Capital Pride Honors that will be hosted by Penn Social on Friday June 2nd a...

Popular Posts