Wisconsin Governor Doesn’t Like the Idea of Two Gay People in the Same Hospital Room

On the good side: Lambda Legal, Fair Wisconsin, and Democratic former Governor Jim Doyle.

On the dark side: Wisconsin Family Action. And as of Friday, Republican Governor Scott Walker.

Two years ago, the Wisconsin legislature passed domestic partnerships legislation, which would have allowed gay couples to visit each other in the hospital, assume joint tenancy, file suit for wrongful death, and enjoy various other rights that straight couples currently take for granted.

Anti-gay groups are, of course, appalled by the idea of gays visiting each other in hospitals. And rightly so! Gay people should only visit each other in bathhouses, public restrooms, and drapery shops.

And so, since 2009, Wisconsin Family Action has been scrambling to stop such appalling displays of equality. They filed suit to stop the state’s domestic partnership registry, claiming that it was unconstitutional, but then-Governor Doyle fired back with a motion to dismiss the case.

Then voters ushered in Republican Governor Scott Walker, who last week withdrew Doyle’s motion. Walker has said that domestic partnerships cost Milwaukee County $4 million, which would certainly be cause for concern if it wasn’t patently false. According to city officials, benefits cost around $216,000.

So now, the state of Wisconsin won’t defend its own domestic partnerships. Who will? Lambda Legal, that’s who, along with Fair Wisconsin.

“Our legislation is very constitutional,” Fair Wisconsin’s Executive Director Katie Belanger told Queerty. “We are very confident.”

Filings are due in June, and the case could be decided by mid-summer. We put in a call to Governor Walker’s office, so we’ll let you know if he deigns to call us back. Given his attitude towards LGBTs, we’re not holding our breath.