Lawsuit filed against DOMA

Following is a post from the Southern Poverty Law Center announcing their lawsuit for LGBT rights.

Today we’re filing an important lawsuit that could break new ground in the fight for LGBT rights. It seeks to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act and other federal policies that discriminate against gay men and lesbians.

We’re representing Tracey and Maggie Cooper-Harris. Tracey’s a highly decorated veteran who served for 12 years in the U.S. Army and was in the Middle East during wartime.

She put her life on the line for her country.

Now, she suffers from multiple sclerosis, a debilitating and incurable disease. She wants to ensure financial stability for her spouse and make sure her affairs are in order.

But her country is telling her that she’s not equal to other service members. Because she’s in a marriage to a person of the same sex in California – a perfectly legal one – she has been denied disability benefits equal to what a heterosexual veteran would receive. And the government won’t allow the couple to be buried together in a military cemetery.

It’s a shameful double standard and an insult to the many thousands of LGBT veterans and service members who serve with honor.

Four decades ago, we went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to ensure that women serving in the U.S. military receive the same benefits as men. Our landmark victory paved the way for servicewomen – and all other women – to be treated equally under the law.

My fellow SPLC co-founder Joe Levin argued that case before the Supreme Court, and today he’s standing up for Tracey’s rights. You can hear more from Joe and SPLC lawyer Christine Sun about today’s lawsuit in this video.

We’ve never given up the fight for equal rights, and we never will. With your support, we’ll do everything we can to ensure equality for Tracey and Maggie – and the millions of other gay and lesbian people who face discriminatory treatment every day. Thanks for supporting this vital work.