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Social Security for Same-Sex
Partners Gets Democratic Support

Resolution by Democratic National Committee is called Historic

Between 1 & 3 Million Elders belong to USA's Gay Community

Compiled by GayToday

Washington, D.C.-A resolution passed yesterday by the Democratic National Committee calls for equal treatment of same-sex partners under Social Security and has been hailed by The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"In taking this historic and precedent-setting step, the Democratic National Committee has committed itself to equality for same-sex partners," said Lorri L. Jean, executive director of NGLTF.

"Currently, our inability to access survivor benefits costs same-sex surviving partners approximately $100 million a year. We pay into the Social Security system our entire lives, yet in retirement we are denied funds to which we are entitled."

The resolution was passed at the DNC winter meeting in Washington, D.C., states simply that "Social Security would be strengthened if same-sex partners were treated equally."

The inclusion of same-sex couples in the program was a policy recommendation of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in 2000 when it issued a groundbreaking report on the public policy issues affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) seniors. It has since conducted trainings with the DNC, AARP, and other aging policy organizations, and sponsored a Congressional briefing to push for these changes.

"The tragedy on September 11th demonstrated the inequality of same-sex relationships in vivid detail as the surviving same-sex partners of those who died found themselves unable access the same benefits as heterosexual surviving partners," continued Jean.

"This discrimination is wrong. Social Security and other programs need to be broadened to include access for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender families."

There is significant majority support among the American public for equal treatment of same-sex partners and the number of GLBT elders continues to grow.

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In a 1997 Princeton Survey Research Associates poll, 57 percent of Americans polled supported "equal rights for gays in terms of social security benefits for gay spouses."

One to three million elders in the U.S. are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. According to current trends, this population will double by the year 2030.

Also at the meeting, the DNC approved a resolution denouncing hate crimes and racial profiling by calling for immediate action on S. 989, "End Racial Profiling Act of 2001," and S. 625, "Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act" (LLEEA).

LLEEA would add gender, sexual orientation, and disability to the federal hate crimes statute and would provide much needed federal assistance to local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.