Its been quite a week in the movement for marriage equality. The Iowa Supreme Court legalized marriage between same-sex couples in a unanimous decision. The Vermont became the first state to legalize marriage legislatively when the state's legislature overrode the governor's veto. And, the DC City Council passed not one, but two relationship recognition bills. The most important one in my opinion is the bill that includes language recognizing marriages performed in other jurisdictions as marriages in the District.
The DC marriage recognition bill passed the Council with a unanimous vote and Mayor Adrian Fenty has said that he will sign the bill into law. In DC the fight for marriage equality is more complicated than it is in the states. We face not only the hurdles of getting legislation through our legislative body, educating residents about marriage and gay people and the possibility of a referendum fight, but also the possibility of intervention from members of Congress.
At Bilerico DC we have a number of strong posts describing the situation that I want to share with you.
Marriage Recognition in DC: Business as Usual? - Guest Blogger Bob Summersgill
Cool Your Jets - John Shields
Fathers, Sons and Lies about Marriage - Sean Bugg
Gay Rights in the District of Columbia -- Always in the Shadow of Congress - Nancy Polikoff
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2 Comments
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Great recap Michael. I just want to add one more thing, and it's about taxes in the District for Domestic Partners.
There are a few additional steps you need to take if you are using Turbo Tax to file "jointly" in the District because we can't file "jointly" on the federal level. Yes, that sucks - but we're working on it...
The best advice I found was from Will O'Bryan's article from Metro Weekly last year on the topic. Check out the last few paragraphs, they might help those of us still doing taxes. Good thing it's rainy outside. It's raining men. Here's the link:
http://www.metroweekly.com/domestic_partner/money/?ak=3326
And Will's last sentence is priceless. Screw the feds, since they screw us ALL the time.
John Shields | April 11, 2009 2:25 PM
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Michael
It is still a felony for same sex couples to file jointly under the IRS tax code. Failure to file with a letter of protesting equal tax treatment under the law is a misdemeanor. Hope you and your group will join us in DC on April 15th.
April 15, 2009. Worldnetdaily wingnuts will be there protesting Obama's socialism. Expect tension, but we can steal their thunder with the national press. We want to pay taxes, just as first class citizens.
APRIL 15 2009
DC Gay Tax Day Tea Party - The National Stage
We will be beginning at Lafayette Plaza at 11am with the “Grassroots” stage and 12pm at the US Treasury Department for the National Stage
Lafayette Plaza- Grassroots Stage - 11am - 3pm
Speakers, music, open microphone for public to voice their concerns
US Treasury - Tax Day Tea Party National Stage - 12pm - 2pm
National Stage on Fiscal Irresponsibility
Closest Metro Stops:
Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, and red lines) and McPherson Square (blue and orange lines).
Calll the President - 202 456 1414 to remind him of his campaign promise to repeal DOMA.
Call your Congressman 202 224 3121 to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act
Charles Merrill | April 11, 2009 3:31 PM
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