The Burien council recently voted to make same sex couples MORE EQUAL than similarly situated unmarried opposite sex couples in the provisioning of taxpayer-funded employee benefits. As city employees, same sex couples no longer have to clear the reasonable hurdle of attesting that they are actually "involved" with one another, but similarly situated straight couples must still prove the bona fides of their relationships.

Burien's law now offers substantial taxpayer-funded goods to same sex couples based on payment of a mere $50 state registration fee. Even with the stigma and risk of violence for being "officially" gay/lesbian, $50 is a cheap sacrifice to get really good publicly funded health benefits. Unmarried straight couples, on the other hand, have to go an extra mile to prove they are together.
So, why not go all the way and treat married same sex couples the same as married straight couples in public employment? Doing so would recognize that married same sex couples are as EQUAL as married straight couples when it comes to being employed by the city of Burien. Burien's revised ordinance now enshrines discrimination against straight people. Shame on the Burien council members who voted for discrimination.

I don't want to treat committed gay families better than committed straight families. The violent and discriminatory opposite has been the law of the land far too long (DOMA, don't-ask-don't-tell, etc.). I want to treat committed couples -- their children, their families -- the same. Under a variety of day-to-day circumstances, state law now treats gay families better than unmarried straight families.
By state law and presidential edict, I cannot be denied access to my partner in the hospital. Executive Dow Constantine, however, can be denied that access to his partner.

How is that fair or equitable?

Stephen Lamphear
elected openly gay 1997 and 2001, defeated openly gay 2005 and 2007
Burien