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Thanks to Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and plaintiffs Keith and Albert Toney, the State Department is changing its passport policy. They will now allow same-sex spouses who have changed their last name upon marriage to update their passports accordingly. This change is a direct result of GLAD’s challenge to section 3 of DOMA.
Our DOMA plaintiff Keith Toney can now get a passport in his correct, married name – and so can thousands of married LGBT people like him. We are elated!Denying married same-sex couples the ability to have their married names on their passports not only puts them at risk by making them travel with two identities, it demeans their marriages. We’re thrilled that the federal government will put an end to this mean-spirited piece of discrimination.
When GLAD filed its DOMA lawsuit, Gill v. OPM, in March this year, we predicted five years of litigation from beginning to end. This quick and gratifying result is only one small step. But it’s a very meaningful step, and it keeps us focused on our ultimate goal – ending federal discrimination against all married same-sex couples.
Here is the magic letter that changes the former bigoted policy.
GLAD is the organization that brought us marriage equality in Massachusetts, and so much more. Their approach to DOMA is smart. After the Crumby Memo debacle today, it’s refreshing to hear from people who a) have a plan to win equality, and b) are pursuing it relentlessly. THANK YOU GLAD!
6 Comments
This isn’t a lot, but it is at least something, and as such it is cool.
Nibbles like this are the precursors to much larger changes later.
what this makes me wonder isin how many ways are we being denied equality just because the heterosexuals in charge don’t bother to review their easily-changed policies? this change didn’t even require a change in the law.
The HIV+ regs. are an even worse stain upon ObamaThe law was changed back when Shrub was president, handing the matter over to the health professionals in the executive branch. Obama could have right out of the gate made a point of fast tracking the changes to our HIV+ immigration regs. (which are now not substantially different from Russia’s, or Saudi Arabia’s, thanks to Jesse Helms). You’d think that Obama, who would have had to spend exactly ZERO political capital to fast track the changes allowed by the new law would have done so, if only for purely humanitarian reasons, no?
NOPE. THE RULES ARE STILL THE SAME AS THEY WERE WHEN JESSE HELSM RULED THE SENATE.
“Fierce advocate” for glbt Americans my ass!!
COOL…. thanks…we needed good news.Interestingly, women doctors have had the same problem for years. If you change your name ., by say gatting married, after getting your medical license… especially in another state, you can't change it!…and Passports are even more imprortant. Thanks to GLAD.
Notice who signed the letter?The one and only W. Scott Simpson of DOMA (gay marriage = incest and pedophilia) brief fame.
A positive step toward equalityAnd an organization where my $$$ will GLADly go.