It turns out Alaska has purposely discriminated against gay, married couples for years

Rainbow Map of Alaska
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The United States’ northernmost state has come under fire after leaked documents show Alaskan state officials purposely denied same-sex married couples legal benefits for years, even after same-sex marriage became legal nationwide.

A new report by the Associated Press reveals that the aforementioned leaked documents reveal a pattern of discrimination against same-sex couples in regards to a state payout oil wealth checks. In Alaska, residents get the check each year to address personal costs ranging from utility fees to new merchandise. The money itself comes from a fund paid out by petroleum companies in exchange for drilling rights. Married couples with spouses on military duty or business out of state are also entitled to receive a check.

The Northwest Arkansas Democrat further reports that over 800 pages of emails show that the state knowingly disregarded a 2014 state Supreme Court decision in Hamby v. Parnell which deemed the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Same-sex couples in Alaska won the right to marry within the state as a result of the decision, though that didn’t stop Alaskan state officials from continuing to deny same-sex couples their legally prescribed checks. The practice continued even after…

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