Well, Walhydra and Hubby Jim are going the long way around, step by step, to make each other legal...no thanks DOMA and that wimpy, people-pleasing excuse for a liberal, Bill Clinton, who signed it.
Walhydra won't repeat her whole marriage rant, since you can find it here.
Even so, Walhydra says she resents having to find a lawyer, pay $600, and go through weeks of gyrations for two sets of six documents, in order to even approximate what any two heterosexual fools can do cheap with a license and a justice of the peace...even by accident.
Anyway,...yesterday morning, sometime around 10:30 am, Walhydra and JimJim met in front of their lawyer and two witnesses and each signed a Last Will and Testament, a Letter of Escrow Instruction, a Durable Power of Attorney for Property (and a backup, in case the designated attorney-in-fact is incapable of acting), a Health Care Surrogate Designation, and a Living Will.
How romantic....
Feeling a bit safer now, nonetheless, since they can take care of each other in hospital and inherit from each other, Walhydra says, "It still doesn't count as marriage."
She and Jim became a couple in 1985.
They were married under the care of their Quaker Meeting in 1994.
But they are still having to look for and plug loopholes, one by one, in order to protect each other as a family.
Feeling somewhat like the surly librarian she usually is, Walhydra instructs her readers to do their own research, for a change:
"Look up all the benefits that married couples get in your own municipality and state, as well as all the Federal benefits. Don't forget about all the retail discounts and give-aways and other special offers for married couples. Look it up!"
Meanwhile, Walhydra is happy. She and her Sweety are getting cuddlier by the minute.
And vacation calls.
Blessèd Be, despite it all.
Walhydra is not at all shy about putting this issue in front of her readers. Today is the fortieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots of 1969.
It's way past time that people of sexual minorities had full civil rights in this country. As one approach to this issue, let me share something called the Dallas Principles.
Preamble: President Obama and Congress pledged to lead America in a new direction that included civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. We now sit at a great moment in our history that inspires the nation to return to its highest ideals and greatest promise. We face a historic opportunity to obtain our full civil rights; this is the moment for change. No delay. No excuses.
The following eight guiding principles underlie our call to action. In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:
1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.
2.We will not leave any part of our community behind.
3.Separate is never equal.
4.Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.
5.The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.
6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.
7.Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.
8.Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.
Please join the effort.
Blessèd Be.
