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.
How about we take this to the next level?
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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.
mjcc1987
The Wisconsin supreme court is Conservative majority – we lost unless Walker is out next year.
franklin
It seems Wisconsin is another lost cause. The haters not only have a majority, but they control of the voting machines.
rivardau
why should it matter to governor walker whether a gay or straight person visits me in my hospital bed? he sure as hell ain’t a-comin’ to visit me, so i might as well have one of my friends in my room instead.
and so what if they are gay or straight?
tjr101
Why in the hell did Wisconsin voters elect this extremist and let one party control the legislature? I’d say, the voters of the state got what they deserve. They’re becoming the Alabama/Arizona of the Midwest.
Marty
This political movement can have adultarous affairs,beat their wives, spank their kids and call me a pervert. They have NO business being in any leadership positions.
robert in NYC
If this is costing $4 million or $216,000, then he’ll also have to stop any future straight marriages in the interests of fiscal conservancy. Surely, their marriages would be a burden on the state’s coffers too. Its a red herring, one of many that opponents of marriage equality use to justify a ban on our marrying. What is at the core of all this is, religion-based bigotry, plain and simple.
jason
Scott Walker is a louse who is probably a closet case. I can see it in his eyes.
As for his attitude to gays, wouldn’t it be grand if all his sons turn out to be gay?
robert in NYC
Jason, yes…sweet justice. Even better if his wife turned out to be a lesbian, lol.
Cam
He couldn’t even graduate college, no wonder he hates teachers…..so my guess is he hates gay people because nobody on gay.com or manhunt every returned his chat messages.
concerned shy guy
WOW, I have never seen so much hate in a 1st world country like i’ve seen in the USA. The USA seems more like a third world country when it comes to social issues.
why is that??
delurker
why are white republicans/conservatives sooo homophobic? it’s disgusting that they wield so much power to implement their homophobia. can any of the gay conservatives please answer that?
Patsy Stoned
This is disgusting. Classic bait and switch politics. “No, it’s just the word marriage, we believe gays should have basic rights” and then BOOM — die alone faggots! Just like what happened in Michigan.
Hope the lesson has been learned, Wisconsin. Unless you really do want to become the new Alabama. Never, ever, ever, trust a fucking Tea Party Loon. Ever.
NVAgBoi
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how the GOP can take the culture wars and just inextricably meld them to whatever other REAL issues the voters also happen to care about on a given day. Like here…..where, by-golly, a question of rights is turned into a flippin FISCAL matter. I wonder where we would have been if good-ole, honest Abe (also a Republican) and woken up and said to his cabinet “My goodness this war is going to just cost us too much. We need to balance our budget. I’m reneging on that whole Emancipation Proclamation to save some Benjamins, boys!”