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:
Post a Comment