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November 29, 2007
EKU students, teachers rally
EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE BENEFITS URGED
By Greg Kocher
GKOCHER1@HERALD-LEADER.COM
RICHMOND --The issue of domestic-partnership benefits is one of human rights for all and not just a matter of sexual orientation, students and faculty members said yesterday at a rally on the Eastern Kentucky University campus.
English professor Meg Gunderson said benefits should be extended to all EKU employees "regardless of with whom they may live, regardless of whom they love."
"We support equal access to health care," Gunderson said. "Equal access to a dentist visit. Equal access to an eye exam. Equal access to a pap smear. Equal access to an X-ray."
About 100 people attended the student-organized rally at the campus amphitheater. Student Zana Durbin, vice president of EKU's Pride Alliance, noted that other public institutions such as the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville offer health benefits to gay and heterosexual couples that are not married.
Durbin and another student met with EKU President Doug Whitlock on Nov. 12 to press the case for the university to offer such benefits.
"I've always been a believer and practitioner in fundamental fairness, and there's an element of that in this issue," Whitlock said yesterday.
Whitlock has not spoken about the issue with the EKU Board of Regents, but he said a benefits committee composed of faculty and staff will probably give a recommendation on the matter before the end of the academic year. Whitlock said he won't presume what that recommendation will be.
"If it appears to be right for EKU faculty and staff, I'm going to be for it," Whitlock said.
The rally was an outgrowth of a class on minority group politics taught by Jerry Thomas. He gave students the option to either write a paper or work on raising public awareness about a minority issue.
"They chose this as their issue and it's gone really well," Thomas said.
Christina Gilgor, executive director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, praised students "who are not afraid to question the policies and underlying values that govern our public institutions."
"Fairness for all is not a radical idea. It is a mainstream Kentucky value," she said. She said that 73 percent of Kentuckians support fair workplace policies.
"The difference between you and most Kentuckians is that you're willing to speak up," Gilgor said.
Durbin said for those with domestic partners "equal benefits means more time spent at work can be used on focusing on work and focusing on our students."
"There have been so many professors leave EKU because they don't wish to enter a tenure track that doesn't offer benefits to their partners and their families," Durbin said. "When professors go elsewhere, students lose the chance to learn from their knowledge."
Marta Miranda, director of women's studies, read an excerpt from an EKU strategic plan that says the university honors and pursues a "community climate that respects and celebrates the diversity of peoples, and seeks to embrace all individuals and prohibits judgment based on race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation and physical disability."
"This is one of EKU's values," Miranda said. "We don't live up to that value."
Benefits at Kentucky's universitiesStatus of domestic partner benefits at Kentucky's state-run colleges:
Offering benefits:
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Discussing benefits:
Eastern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University
Not currently discussing benefits:
Kentucky State University
Morehead State University
Murray State University
Western Kentucky University
Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS has no control of benefits, they are set by the state)
Posted by
jodycofer on 11/29/2007
November 27, 2007
Tomorrow, KFA Executive Director Christina Gilgor will address a rally for fair healthcare at Eastern Kentucky University. See coverage from the Courier-Journal.
Posted by
Misty on 11/27/2007
November 02, 2007
From The MSU News on Friday, November 2nd:
In the late 1960s, female impersonation became a hobby and even a profession for some men, and to carry on that tradition the fourth annual Alliance Drag Show was held yesterday in the Curris Center ballroom. The main guest for the show was Josephyn Edwards, an entertainer from Nashville, Tenn. There, she performs at a popular dance club called "PLAY."The show also featured professional and student performers with stage names like Amanecia Diamond D'light and Isyss. "Every walk of life comes together for one night," Murray State Alliance President Jason Goodrum, senior from Cottage Grove, Tenn., said. "It's definitely breaking down the typical barriers."Goodrum said the show receives a lot of positive feedback from both students and community members. He said the fall show was created because of the success of the original drag show held in the spring. In appreciation of women's support groups, Alliance chose for its spring 2007 fundraiser to benefit the Women's Center, Goodrum said. In its 10th year, Alliance continues to raise awareness for the gay and lesbian community. Goodrum said the group works with the Human Rights Campaign, promoting equality in the work environment. Last month, the Alliance held a table for National Coming Out Day. Similarly, according to Kentuckyfairness.org, the Kentucky Fairness Alliance seeks to advance equality for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-gender people through leadership, public education and participation in the democratic process. Next month, the group will first celebrate Equality of Kentucky Day and then World Aids Day, Dec. 1."We are the only organization that represents the gay community for both students and faculty," Goodrum said. "We want to provide a supportive safe haven in the community."Alliance strives for tolerance, education and awareness within the Murray State community, Goodrum said. He said he hopes the organization will empower students to share common goals as equals. When he came to Murray State as a freshman, Goodrum said he entered a welcoming environment. "I have met some of my closest friends here," Goodrum said. "There's definitely a need for the Alliance. There are so many people that were in the same situation as I was." Goodrum said Murray State is the only state-funded, four-year institution that does not incorporate a sexual orientation policy in admissions. He said a bill was presented last semester to the Board of Regents to add the policy. Any interested students or faculty members are encouraged to attend Alliance meetings held at 8 p.m every Thursday in the Curris Center. The only requirement, Goodrum said, is that people come with open minds.
Posted by
jodycofer on 11/02/2007
From The MSU News on Friday, November 2nd:
In the late 1960s, female impersonation became a hobby and even a profession for some men, and to carry on that tradition the fourth annual Alliance Drag Show was held yesterday in the Curris Center ballroom. The main guest for the show was Josephyn Edwards, an entertainer from Nashville, Tenn. There, she performs at a popular dance club called "PLAY."The show also featured professional and student performers with stage names like Amanecia Diamond D'light and Isyss. "Every walk of life comes together for one night," Murray State Alliance President Jason Goodrum, senior from Cottage Grove, Tenn., said. "It's definitely breaking down the typical barriers."Goodrum said the show receives a lot of positive feedback from both students and community members. He said the fall show was created because of the success of the original drag show held in the spring. In appreciation of women's support groups, Alliance chose for its spring 2007 fundraiser to benefit the Women's Center, Goodrum said. In its 10th year, Alliance continues to raise awareness for the gay and lesbian community. Goodrum said the group works with the Human Rights Campaign, promoting equality in the work environment. Last month, the Alliance held a table for National Coming Out Day. Similarly, according to Kentuckyfairness.org, the Kentucky Fairness Alliance seeks to advance equality for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-gender people through leadership, public education and participation in the democratic process. Next month, the group will first celebrate Equality of Kentucky Day and then World Aids Day, Dec. 1."We are the only organization that represents the gay community for both students and faculty," Goodrum said. "We want to provide a supportive safe haven in the community."Alliance strives for tolerance, education and awareness within the Murray State community, Goodrum said. He said he hopes the organization will empower students to share common goals as equals. When he came to Murray State as a freshman, Goodrum said he entered a welcoming environment. "I have met some of my closest friends here," Goodrum said. "There's definitely a need for the Alliance. There are so many people that were in the same situation as I was." Goodrum said Murray State is the only state-funded, four-year institution that does not incorporate a sexual orientation policy in admissions. He said a bill was presented last semester to the Board of Regents to add the policy. Any interested students or faculty members are encouraged to attend Alliance meetings held at 8 p.m every Thursday in the Curris Center. The only requirement, Goodrum said, is that people come with open minds.
Posted by
jodycofer on 11/02/2007
October 10, 2007
U of L widens health benefit plans for domestic partners Employee would pay monthly premium
By Nancy C. Rodriguez
nrodriguez@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal
The University of Louisville announced yesterday that it has broadened its plan to provide health-insurance coverage for employees' domestic partners in an effort to meet constitutional objections.
As revised, the plan will allow coverage for one "qualifying adult" in an employee's household -- domestic partner or otherwise -- as well as for that person's children. In some cases, the adult could be a relative.
But employees who sign up for such coverage will have to shoulder the full cost of the monthly premiums; the university will not pay a portion. "We pledge that there will be no taxpayer dollars used for it," said university spokesman John Drees, who said employees were informed of the new plan Monday. The cost for an employee and a qualified adult without children ranges from $416.35 a month to $1,123.79 a month, depending on the plan selected. In contrast, coverage for an employee and spouse costs from $211.75 to $786.58. University employees begin enrolling Oct. 22 for health-insurance coverage that will take effect Jan. 1.
The revised plan -- and a similar one at the University of Kentucky -- responds to an opinion issued earlier this year by the attorney general's office. The opinion found that UK and U of L were violating the state constitution by offering health insurance only to same-sex and opposite-sex partners of employees. Attorney General Greg Stumbo said the benefits could be offered legally if the universities broadened their plans to cover others living with employees.
Under the U of L plan, an employee could extend coverage to one adult and that person's children, even if the adult is not in a romantic relationship with the employee. The adult must be unmarried and have lived with the employee for at least one year. He or she must show proof of financial interdependence with the employee for a year or more, such as a joint bank account or mortgage. Employees could get coverage for an adult who is a blood relative, but that person must be the same age as or younger than the employee. That would mean the employee could get coverage for a sibling but not a parent. The plan is in addition to U of L's existing insurance coverage for individuals, married couples and their families. U of L began offering domestic-partner coverage on Jan. 1. Stumbo's opinion, which was issued in June, did not carry the force of law. But he said at the time that he would file suit against the universities if they did not change their benefit plans. UK broadened its plan in June to allow a university employee to extend coverage to one dependent adult in the household, as well as that adult's child or children, so long as the adult is not a relative either through birth or marriage, or a UK employee. It allows UK employees to get coverage for domestic partners as well as "non-romantic" roommates who share the same residence of the employee for at least 12 months -- although the plan does not specifically identify those relationships. State appropriations are not being used to cover the cost of the UK plan. U of L and UK officials have said that the benefits meet their goals of providing affordable health care to employees and their dependents while also remaining attractive and competitive to faculty and staff. In an e-mail sent Monday to U of L employees, Provost Shirley Willihnganz said the university "is committed to fairness and diversity within our workforce." At the same time, she said, "U of L is bound to follow state law." Said Drees: "We took the attorney general's opinion into account when we developed our new policy."
The Family Foundation of Kentucky, which has opposed the universities' plans, said U of L's new policy still violates the state constitution. "The new plan does not allow a mother or father to be on the plan, but it allows a live-in lover to be on the plan," said David Edmunds, an analyst for foundation. "This undermines marriage because you have to be unmarried to qualify. Just that in and of itself is discriminatory to marriage. … It's still a domestic-partner plan. They're just trying to wiggle through loopholes to make it happen." Edmunds also challenged the assertion that tax dollars will not be involved. "When you add people on, you are going to increase the risk of that pool, and that increases the cost to everyone else," he said.
Christina Gilgor, executive director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, a group that works for the rights of gays and lesbians, reacted positively to U of L's new plan yesterday. "We welcome the news that the U of L has reaffirmed its commitment to a fair workplace," Gilgor said in a statement. "The Family Foundation is proving again that it doesn't live up to its name, when it goes to such lengths to prevent families from accessing much-needed health coverage."
The Family Foundation has sent a letter to Stumbo asking him for a new legal opinion on U of L's plan. It made a similar request, without success, after UK revised its plan.
Corey Bellamy, a spokesman for Stumbo's office, confirmed that the letter was received yesterday and is under review. The question before the attorney general turns on a 2004 amendment to the state constitution that defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman. It also said the law can give no recognition to "a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage." In his June opinion, Stumbo said the UK and U of L plans violated the amendment in recognizing the domestic-partner arrangements.
Posted by
jodycofer on 10/10/2007
July 25, 2007
Group will rally against domestic partner benefits
By Art Jester
ajester@herald-leader.com
About 250 people are expected to gather Monday in Frankfort in opposition to domestic partner benefits in Kentucky’s public universities and agencies.
The “Rally to Protect Marriage” is set for 2 p.m. in the state Capitol Rotunda, said Kent Ostrander, executive director of the Family Foundation of Kentucky, the sponsor.
Ostrander said “we want to simply encourage the legislature to take up Senate Bill 5.” The legislation passed the upper chamber 28-6 in a truncated special session earlier this month.
A similar bill passed the Senate in the legislature’s regular session last winter, but died when a House committee deadlocked.
The bill is in reaction to domestic partner benefits that went into effect at the University of Louisville on Jan. 1 and at the University of Kentucky on July 1.
Domestic partner benefits would provide benefits to an employee’s same-sex or opposite-sex partner, outside of marriage. The key feature is health insurance.
The bill would limit access to state-sponsored health insurance to employees and their family members in a legal marriage. Kentucky’s constitution limits a legal marriage to that between a man and a woman.
Senate Bill 5 was sponsored by four Republican state senators: Vernie McGaha of Russell Springs, Jack Westwood of Crescent Spring; Dick Roeding of Lakeside Park and Gary Tapp of Shelbyville.
McGaha sponsored the similar bill last winter. Ostrander said the foundation is continuing a campaign against domestic partner benefits through its mail and e-mail lists.
State Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, said he has received phone calls from 39 constituents in three days expressing opposition to domestic partner benefits. Damron opposes domestic partner benefits.
Ostrander said the foundation does not plan to file a lawsuit. “Right now we see this as a legislative matter,” he said.
In response, Christina Gilgor, executive director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, which represents the interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, said:
“The fact remains that denying Kentucky gays and lesbians the employee benefits that include health care insurance absolutely has a negative effect on them. These are real people, with real lives, who need health care.”
Posted by
jodycofer on 7/25/2007
June 22, 2007
Dallas Voice columnist Libby Post opposes Surgeon General nominee Leslie Southwick, and mentions KFA's growing political strength as a sign that fairness can thrive in the "heart of the Bible Belt." So say we all...
Posted by
Misty on 6/22/2007
June 19, 2007
Big news this week:
UK revises dependent coverage
Louisville Courier-Journal, June 19, 2007 UK alters plan for partner coverage
Lexington Herald-Leader, June 19, 2007
KFA's comment: UK's decision rightly acknowledges the diversity of Kentucky families. If the anti-fairness industry continues to oppose fair healthcare, it will make their intentions pretty transparent - excluding gay families from the simple security of health coverage.
Posted by
Misty on 6/19/2007
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The Ampersand symbolizes the solidarity we are building through Friends & Family, and suggests the inclusiveness we are working toward. It reflects the idea that no one individual, legislator, organization, or city can carry all the water for equality. Our success lies in our solidarity. 