Flowers and Rainbows.

It is a beautiful spring day!
That is a fact.

I am exhausted from having so much to do at work.
That is a fact.

I am emotionally drained when I think of the issues my egyptian is dealing with.
That, too, is a fact.

I spent last night thrust into a subculture that part of me feels is not educated on their rights - not as much as they should be.

Let me explain. I have a dear friend who is a lawyer. One of his specialities is same-sex couples estate planning. He wants to really propel his business and asked me about some ideas on how to really push his business.

For one - I asked whether or not he had a website up. He did not. So I got my sister to help out in that sense. Then I helped him develop a fact sheet, a FAQ sheet, and come up with a way to market to individual groups. All was accomplished. Then of course, I agreed to sit at his first BIG symposium at UAB last night. Help him encourage people to sign up for his services/consultations etc.

What I experienced was an interesting sub-culture that truly does not have any rights at all. I listened to five speakers. My friend discussed the need for a will/estate planning - since these couples cannot legally marry and their assets can be divided up by the state (if a proper will is not written.)

The next speaker discussed Power of Attorny. The examples of a same-sex couple sitting in a hospital room, and one of the two is not even allowed to help make decisions, and technically cannot be in the room.. that was pretty hard core.

Then the next guy talked about abuse within the same sex community. He touched on the rules of adoption (you can adopt a child if you are a gay couple, however you cannot foster a child.) The next speaker talked about how to control items after a BIG break up.. when both parties are not legally married.

The last speaker was the president elect for the LGBT community. He kindof pulled it all together and explained the laws in Alabama.

To break it down - if you are in a same-sex marriage - you essentially have no rights. You must protect yourself with items like a will, a power of attorny. Save receipts.. do your homework.

This post is not in favor of or disputing the right to be married if you are in a same-sex relationship. I am simply stating the facts.. according to what I heard last night.

I am friends with  probably a handful of gay or lesbian couples. Many are in committed, loving relationships. It is not my place to tell someone who they love is wrong or right. It is not my place to say anything of the sort. I believe that is something a person must take up with God. Simple as that. I am in no position to judge.

But I do believe in one thing STRONGLY - as a human being - you have every right to be treated fairly.

There was a time when a couple in America could not get certain rights due to the color of their skin. Later, laws were put in place to protect their rights.

Aren't the laws set up now to discriminate against same-sex couples?