Weekly Political Update

• The U. S. House of Representatives defeated a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The Senate had earlier done the same, making the House vote purely political. Indeed, Republicans are already promising to use Democrats’ opposition to the amendment as fodder for this fall’s congressional elections.
• By a slim margin, Patricia Todd (D) appears to have become Alabama’s first lesbian or gay legislator by winning a run-off on Tuesday. There is no Republican in the race, so unless an Independent or third party candidate enters the general election, Todd will become the state representative for part of Birmingham.
• A Connecticut lesbian couple filed a medical malpractice suit claiming that treatments for a cancer misdiagnosis have damaged their relationship. Married heterosexual couples have been able to use the same legal argument, termed “loss of consortium.” This will be the first time a couple in a civil union has used the claim. Lawyers say the couple has a clear right to do so under the civil-union law. Whether their medical claim holds up is an open question.
• Under court order, Missouri lifted restrictions preventing gay men and lesbians from becoming foster parents. Good, but . . . the Department of Social Services will now routinely ask applicants their sexual orientation, and will consider “whether or not an alternative lifestyle environment would be confusing or add trauma to an already abused or neglected child.” A department spokesperson explained further, “If you have a child who’s been abused by someone of the same sex, then placing them in the home of a couple of the same sex might not be in the best interest of the child.” (Newsflash: If a child has been abused by someone of the same sex, putting them in a heterosexual household will still put them in close contact with a parent of the same gender as their abuser.)
• In Washington, the State Supreme Court said it issue a ruling on the constitutionality of the state’s same-sex marriage ban before this September’s primary elections.

Finally, a bit of news that’s more personal than political, but bears on politics. Julie and Hillary Goodridge, one of the seven couples whose case won the right for all Massachusetts same-sex couples to marry, have separated. I’m sure some will view this as an example of the supposedly transitory nature of same-sex relationships. The truth is that same-sex couples do not have a monopoly on irreconcilable differences. This is not an example of why there should not be same-sex marriage, but exactly why it should exist—the institution of marriage will now give Julie and Hillary the same rights over property and, more importantly, parental rights and responsibilities for their daughter, should they choose to file for divorce. Best wishes to all of them during this difficult time.