Spring Break
Rights for same-sex couples coming along in Colorado
Sean Reed
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: Opinion
It's beginning to look like a good time to be gay in the state of Colorado.
Two bills aimed at granting extended legal rights for same-sex couples that they have been historically denied are gaining traction in the state capitol. And really, it's about time.
Last week, the state Senate held a formal vote and gave its approval to a bill extending health benefits for same-sex partners of state employees.
Likewise, the state House gave tentative approval to a bill that would ease the process for members of the gay and lesbian community to leave property to their partners or even to visit them in the hospital.
The initial success of these bills -- for there still is quite a long distance to go -- marks a dramatic shift in what has been up to this point a shameful history of discrimination in the Centennial state.
Nearly two decades ago, Colorado voters approved Amendment 2, which barred any local government from taking any legislative, executive or judicial action to protect the rights of gays from discrimination based on their sexual orientation. For this wonderfully bigoted piece of legislation we can thank the same people that we can thank for almost every blockheaded argument against equal rights for gay citizens -- the city of Colorado Springs, which is home to several hatemongering religious organizations, including James Dobson's Focus on the Family (although I hear he's retired now, thank God).
Thankfully, the law was never allowed to be implemented, as gay rights groups challenged the bill immediately out of the gate, causing a district court to grant an injunction on the grounds of the bill's possible unconstitutionality -- a ruling later made by both the state and federal Supreme Court.
Fast forward a few years and things did not get any better for our gay and lesbian neighbors.
In 2006, Colorado voters were given a chance to redeem themselves via Referendum I, a measure that would have granted civil unions to same-sex couples.
Two bills aimed at granting extended legal rights for same-sex couples that they have been historically denied are gaining traction in the state capitol. And really, it's about time.
Last week, the state Senate held a formal vote and gave its approval to a bill extending health benefits for same-sex partners of state employees.
Likewise, the state House gave tentative approval to a bill that would ease the process for members of the gay and lesbian community to leave property to their partners or even to visit them in the hospital.
The initial success of these bills -- for there still is quite a long distance to go -- marks a dramatic shift in what has been up to this point a shameful history of discrimination in the Centennial state.
Nearly two decades ago, Colorado voters approved Amendment 2, which barred any local government from taking any legislative, executive or judicial action to protect the rights of gays from discrimination based on their sexual orientation. For this wonderfully bigoted piece of legislation we can thank the same people that we can thank for almost every blockheaded argument against equal rights for gay citizens -- the city of Colorado Springs, which is home to several hatemongering religious organizations, including James Dobson's Focus on the Family (although I hear he's retired now, thank God).
Thankfully, the law was never allowed to be implemented, as gay rights groups challenged the bill immediately out of the gate, causing a district court to grant an injunction on the grounds of the bill's possible unconstitutionality -- a ruling later made by both the state and federal Supreme Court.
Fast forward a few years and things did not get any better for our gay and lesbian neighbors.
In 2006, Colorado voters were given a chance to redeem themselves via Referendum I, a measure that would have granted civil unions to same-sex couples.
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