In August, 60-70 mph winds caused a stage at the Indiana State Fair stage to collapse, killing lesbian spouses Tammy VanDam and Christina Santiago. The wives of these women have accepted a $300,000 settlement from the state, which could forever change the way that Indiana sees same-sex couples legally married out of state.
According to The Windy City Times both couples “had a civil union in Illinois, a relationship not recognized under Indiana state law.” And both have “filed suit to challenge Indiana’s lack of recognition for same-sex couples.” Also, the $300,000 was “the same settlement as heterosexual complainants who lost a spouse in the accident, possibly setting a precedent for same-sex partner recognition for wrongful deaths in Indiana, according to her attorney.”
Well that’s a silver-lining to this otherwise horribly dark rain cloud.
Steve
$300,000 is the price of a life in Indiana… :(Doesn’t seem like enough.
At least a little good came out of this.
13Zeroither
This is so sad, and so fucked up. There needs to be marriage equality now.