Faculty rejoice at LGBT employee benefits

Members of the Provost’s Committee on LGBTQ Life said they were surprised at how quickly North Carolina’s ban on gay marriage was struck down.

“It has happened so much faster than anyone could have imagined,” said law professor Maxine Eichner in a meeting Monday morning.

A group of ten students, faculty and post-doctorate candidates met to review the implications of the ruling.

Committee chairman Christopher Putney, who is openly gay, led the meeting and opened with recognition of the significance of last week’s event.

“This is a monumental time with the new developments,” Putney said.

North Carolina voters passed Amendment One, declaring that the state only recognizes marriage as between a man and a woman, in May 2012, and at the time, he said he thought it would never be overturned.

“It seemed like it was (going to be) here forever,” Putney said. “I remember the dismay I felt when it passed.”

Committee members, many of whom said they were affected by the amendment and opposed to its passing, said they are confident the ban won’t be reinstated in the future.

“Theoretically, it is a possibility,” Eichner said.“But who wants to be on the wrong side of history when there is so much momentum?”

Eichner, who was very involved in the fight against Amendment One after it was passed, doubts any reversal will happen, because no opposition in other states has succeeded in doing so.

“It seems almost impossible to think that the Supreme Court would review this case,” Eichner said, “So, it’s over.”

Several committee members, including LGBTQ Center director Terri Phoenix, said UNC staff were treated differently based on their sexual orientation when it came to employment benefits.

“There was inequitable treatment,” Phoenix said. “That is absolutely true.”

UNC media and cultural studies professor Richard Cante said the difference in treatment was in accordance with North Carolina law.

“It’s not illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, according to North Carolina law,” Cante said.

Spouses of UNC faculty who entered same-sex marriages before Oct. 13 will see health care coverage beginning as early as Nov. 1.

After discussing their experiences and the issues that existed, the committee recognized that there are still many problems to be dealt with, but the overwhelming majority agreed that a burden had been removed from the LGBTQ community as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“We’re just like everyone else,” Putney said. “And it’s wonderful.”

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