Quiz time! What’s stronger: Jesus’ sermon on the mount (enjoining Christians to care for the poor and dispossessed, et al.), or a few scattered verses touting homophobia and an ex-Nazi pope?
You have your answer. Catholic Charities’ D.C. branch has just killed domestic partner healthcare benefits for new employees or existing employees who haven’t yet enrolled in the policy, to avoid having to give those same benefits to same-gender couples as mandated by the city’s new law legalizing same-gender marriage. It turns out, Archbishop Donald Wurel is more concerned about making nice with an ascendant conservative faction in the Catholic Church than he is worried that axing benefits will cause this titan of urban poverty relief to drive away qualified social workers because they and their families need access to benefits like these.
Elsewhere…
D.C. – The Associated Press, The Advocate are surprised Washington D.C. is mostly black, has divergent opinions on gay marriage. (The Advocate)
D.C. – Conservatives make a Hail Mary pass on trying to stop same-gender marriage at the Supreme Court (AP)
California – UC Davis’ LGBT center decides to keep the graffiti on their door as a reminder intolerance exists. (The Bilerico Project)
Nevada – Vegas taxi cops told to treat “high-risk groups include homosexuals, I.V. drug users and prostitutes” as though they carry dangerous infectious diseases. Maybe they’re affraid of catching the gay? (Joe.My.God)
New York – LGBT rights flip-flopper Harold Ford, Jr. decides not to run for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s seat, a week after he was hounded off the stage at a rally at New York City’s LGBT community center. (Joe.My.God)
France – Gender identity is no longer a mental disorder in France. (Slate)
Teh Interwebs – Queerty chats with John Aravosis about political strategy, and the nuances of the HRC vs. Netroots spat. Aravosis says his central worry is that the HRC is in danger of being seen by both the LGBT community and the political establishment that it has no power. Without that “insider” voice complimenting the cranky netroots, he says, the community’s priorities will go nowhere. (Queerty)
Point of clarification: Catholic Charities has never provided “domestic partner” health benefits to anyone, regardless of sexual orientation. What they are planning to do is to stop providing spousal benefits which they were providing to married heterosexual spouses. They plan to “grandfather in” people who are already receiving such coverage but no new employees’ spouses will be covered.
The first effect of this is to create inequality in their workplace in the form of a 2-tiered health insurance system. Eventually it will lead to a family-UNfriendly workplace where no one will get spousal coverage and which will add more people to the ranks of the uninsured.
I enjoy your site and just returned from my first visit to the twin cities in 35 years (I was 7yo). Just put up a piece on this topic on my very new, very modest blog. Would love it if you stopped by sometime to check it out. thanks.
“On Wednesday, March 3rd, loving couples in DC will be able to be married regardless of their genitalia. As a result, DC employees of Catholic Charities learned that spouses will no longer be covered by company’s new health plan.
Let’s break this down, shall we?”
http://democratdeal.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-difference-day-makes-in-dc-for.html
Thanks for reading Ed! It’s pretty exciting that the nation’s capital will be a place of equality. I’ll definitely check out your blog. I hope the Twin Cities treated you well!
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