The Ties That Bind
By M.D. dela Cruz Tan

	Share |

It has already been noted time and again that in the absence of recognition, same sex couples are automatically placed at a disadvantage.  In the US, for example, at least 1,049 US federal laws and regulations include reference to marital status, just as 1,138 statutory provisions have marital status as a factor in determining benefits, rights, and privileges – findings stressed by Dr. M. V. Lee Badgett, an economist and associate professor at the University of Massachusetts, who did a study on the economic impact of depriving equal rights to same sex couples.

Financial challenges, for Badgett, include: “higher taxes: unlike a company's contribution to an employee's spouse's health insurance, domestic partner benefits are taxed as additional compensation; higher health costs associated with lack of insurance and preventative care: 20% of same-sex couples have a member who is uninsured compared to 10% of married opposite-sex couples; current tax law allows a spouse to inherit an unlimited amount from the deceased without incurring an estate tax but an unmarried partner would have to pay the estate tax on the inheritance from her/his partner; (and) same-sex couples are not eligible to file jointly or separately as a married couple and thus cannot take the advantages of lower tax rates when the individual income of the partners differs significantly.”

Not that civil unions are always adequate, since the rights accorded same sex couples are not always the same as those accorded heterosexual couples.
Still, “getting some recognition is better than not getting any at all,” John M. says.  “It most certainly would have been better had we had (done) that before (Harold S.) passed away, then I would have had some legal claim over him.  Alas...”

PROMOTING ONE-NESS

Sans the legal pros, same sex unions are actually already available in many countries – the Philippines included.  The Metropolitan Community Church Philippines (MCCP, http://mccph.wordpress.com), for example, hosts same sex matrimonial ceremonies (just as it hosts heterosexual marriages).  While the type of ceremony may be altered (e.g. Roman Catholic Rite, Protestant Rite, Simple Marriage Rite, or Personalized Marriage Rite), the process remains “usual,” starting with the completion of requirements (2X2 photograph on white background of parties involved; photocopy of the birth certificate, clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation, barangay certificate, and community tax certificate; marriage license from the municipality of origin; and registration form from MCCP), and then meeting with MCCP for the arrangement of the event proper.

In truth, this may not be much, at least for now.  But it’s a movement somehow.  Especially in a country that mentions homosexuality in the law (The Family Code of the Philippines) only as a reason to invalidate a marriage [i.e. Article 46: Any of the following circumstances shall constitute fraud (ground for annulment of marriage)... Section 4: Concealment of drug addiction, habitual alcoholism, or homosexuality or lesbianism existing at the time of the marriage].

“We still have a long way to go, I know that much.  And this is sad, indeed.  Not just for (the GLBTQI) community, but for everyone.  After all, how can we accept the ‘normal,’ when it means the likes of Britney Spears getting married for less than a day, then divorcing her husband soon after; or Woody Allen divorcing his wife to marry their adopted daughter?  Even Shawie (Sharon Cuneta) used to have Gabby Concepcion before Francis Pangilinan; Ate Vi (Vilma Santos) had Edu Manzano before Ralph Recto; Carmina Villaroel had Rustom Padilla before Zoren Legazpi; et cetera.  I don’t mean to attack people, just loudly thinking why, if we let (heterosexuals move) from a marriage to another, we can’t let same sex couples marry (for real, too)?” John M. says.  “I honestly just don’t understand why it is so hard to be humane.”

Thus, for now, the call continues for the granting not of special rights, but equal rights.

*Somewhat erroneously, since commitment ceremonies have already been held for years prior to this – Ed