Gay US diplomats to get benefits for partners

In a policy shift, the US State Department will offer equal benefits and protections to same-sex partners of American diplomats, The New York Times reported.

The newspaper said the shift was spelled out in an internal memorandum Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent last week to an association of gay and lesbian foreign service officers.

Clinton said the policy change addressed an inequity in the treatment of domestic partners and would help the State Department recruit diplomats, since many international employers already offered such benefits, the report said.

“Like all families, our foreign service families come in different configurations; all are part of the common fabric of our post communities abroad,” Clinton said in the memorandum, a copy of which was provided to The Times by a member of the gay and lesbian association.

“At bottom,” the paper quotes Clinton as saying, “the department will provide these benefits for both opposite-sex and same-sex partners because it is the right thing to do.”

A senior State Department official confirmed the new policy, but did not say when it would take effect, the paper said.

Gay US diplomats to get benefits for partners: report

AFP

Published by

Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/gay-us-diplom…

LGBT Domestic Violence Services Bill Passes State Assembly

Bill Sponsored by EQCA and Authored by Assemblymember Pérez Now Moves to Senate

Sacramento – The California State Assembly passed the LGBT Domestic Violence Services Bill along party lines, with all 44 Democrats present voting in favor while all 17 votes against were cast by Republicans. Sponsored by Equality California (EQCA), the bill, AB 1003, will increase and expand services to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) survivors of domestic violence.

“By passing this bill, we are expanding innovative and proven program models already being pioneered by LGBT centers and organizations across the state,” said Assemblymember John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles), the author of the bill. “Now more people will have greater access to the services they need – in a safe, comfortable environment.”

Rates of domestic violence in same-sex relationships are equivalent to those in opposite-sex relationships. However, support for LGBT survivors continues to lag far behind those available to non-LGBT couples.

“We must do all in our power to ensure that LGBT survivors of domestic violence have access to culturally competent services and resources,” Geoff Kors, executive director of EQCA. “EQCA is extremely grateful to Assemblymember Pérez for his leadership on this important issue and thank the California Assembly for helping move us one step closer to making this goal a reality.”

The LGBT Domestic Violence Services Bill is designed to correct this inequity by expanding access for LGBT service providers to a state fund within the California Emergency Management Agency, which supports LGBT-specific domestic violence programs across the state. The fund, originally established as part of another EQCA-sponsored bill in 2006, is subsidized by a $23 fee on domestic partner registrations. The new bill also eliminates the requirement for providers to offer shelter – an impediment to many smaller LGBT organizations that inadvertently keeps several California communities from providing any services for LGBT survivors of domestic violence. The bill previously passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a vote of 5-2.

More information about EQCA’s other current legislation can be found at www.eqca.org/legislation.