Just out., February 19, 1999, Page 21, Image 21

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february 19. 1999 * J u s t o n t 2 1
P R O P O M L FO R
mistic about the future of same-sex marriage.
“There was a time not too long ago when we
wouldn’t dare talk about [same-sex marriage],”
Johnson recalls, explaining that lesbians and gay
men were preoccupied with not getting beaten
up or being able to check into a hotel together
without raising eyebrows. “In the last six or
eight years the whole thing has sort of blos­
somed. I think we may see the ability to marry
in some states relatively soon— meaning five or
10 years. I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”
Bonnie Tinker of Love Makes a Family
echoes the sentiment absolutely: “If you believe
in individual freedom, if you believe in democ­
racy, if you believe in keeping the government
out of people’s personal lives, you have to
believe in the recognition of same-sex marriage.
It’s a logical conclusion.”
Continued from Page 19
“When I’ve drafted domestic partnership
agreements, usually 1 draft them for one person
in the couple,” says Troy. "There can be a con­
flict of interest when a lawyer tries to represent
two people simultaneously.”
He adds that when he creates a domestic
partnership agreement for a client, he’s obligat­
ed to recommend the client’s partner show it to
his or her own lawyer.
As if that’s not enough to rain on a couple’s
romantic parade, he explains that the process
never really ends. While so many aspects of legal
marriage kick in automatically during the course
of the relationship, a same-sex partnership
requires a vigilant bureaucracy.
“You need to keep going in and changing [a
domestic partnership agreement],” Troy insists,
pointing to a hypothetical couple purchasing a
house, inheriting money or property, having
children, etc. To a large degree, says Troy, “If
you’re married, this is all handled de facto under
the law.”
The National Freedom to Marry Coalition’s
campaign to legalize same-sex marriage has been
aided by Lambda Legal Defense and Education
Fund, a coalition member that has helped ana­
lyze and summarize a few of the 1,049 aforemen­
tioned supports and obligations— the sorts of
things Nestor and Troy deal with when accom­
modating clients who have same-sex partners.
The list covers a range of topics. Some of the
Left: Sue Doroff (wearing white shirt) and
Holly Duncan making their vows;
below: Doroff and Duncan at ease
privileges listed include the rights to: inherit
automatically in the absence of a will; apply for
immigration and residency for partners from
other countries; visit a partner in the hospital
and other public institutions; obtain joint insur­
ance policies for home and auto; take bereave­
ment or sick leave to care for a partner; choose
a final resting place for a deceased partner; and
obtain government benefits such as Social Secu­
rity and Medicare.
State bar president Johnson would include
the right to prison visitation, discounts for cer­
tain services and memberships, and renting in
particular sorts of housing facilities, among
other things.
“Really the list goes on and
on,” he insists. “There are lots of
things married people can do
together...that are taken for
granted.”
Johnson admits that the Ore­
gon State Bar currently holds no
position on same-sex marriage (in
fact, the state bar has not dis­
cussed the issue at all, he says) and
emphasizes that he speaks as an
individual and not as the bar’s
president. That caveat aside—
and despite the polls and the
notorious “ 1,049” list— he’s opti-
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