[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/more-baby-steps\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/more-baby-steps\/","headline":"More Baby Steps","name":"More Baby Steps","description":"By Katherine Dean Last week, the federal government took a couple of itty-bitty steps toward equality for all. While none of the measures eradicate discrimination against same-sex...","datePublished":"2010-06-11","dateModified":"2021-06-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Equally Wed","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":787,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/more-baby-steps\/","about":["Marriage Equality News"],"wordCount":468,"articleBody":" By Katherine DeanLast week, the federal  government took a couple of itty-bitty steps toward equality for all.  While none of the measures eradicate discrimination against same-sex  relationships, they do suggest a slowly changing tide in Washington.Here\u2019s what went down:On Friday,  the Internal Revenue Service issued a ruling that recognizes California\u2019s  community property laws for same-sex couples. The result of the ruling  is that registered domestic partners in the state of California will have  a reduced tax burden, because they will only be required to report half  of their combined income from earnings or community property on their  individual tax returns. While The Wall Street Journal quickly claimed \u201cGay  couples get equal tax treatment,\u201d The Christian Science Monitor  more aptly declared the ruling \u201cA small step toward tax equality for  same-sex couples\u201d since it only applies in states that recognize  same-sex partners in community property laws. The ruling does not allow  same-sex couples to file tax returns jointly, even if they are legally  married; nor does the ruling address the myriad of ways same-sex couples  are treated unequally when compared to heterosexual couples under  federal tax law. For example, same-sex spouses are not entitled to  social security survivor\u2019s benefits, and they are forced to pay taxes on  assets left to them when one spouse dies.On June  2, President Obama issued a memorandum that expanded benefits for  partners of gay and lesbian federal employees to include family  assistance services, hardship transfers and relocation expenses.  The order also requires any federal agencies that provide new benefits  to opposite-sex spouses of federal employees provide equal benefits to  same-sex domestic partners of federal employees, to the extent permitted  by law. Obama\u2019s action expands upon last year\u2019s directive in  which he guaranteed limited benefits to the same-sex partners of federal  employees such as access to long-term care insurance and expanded sick  leave, medical evacuation and medical care abroad. In his statement regarding the most recent memo, Obama said:\u201cWhile  this Memorandum is an important step on the path to equality, my  Administration continues to be prevented by existing Federal law from providing same-sex domestic partners with the full range of  benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That is why, today, I  renew my call for swift passage of an important piece of legislation  pending in both Houses of Congress\u2014the Domestic Partnership Benefits  and Obligations Act. This legislation, championed by Senators Joe  Lieberman and Susan Collins and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, would  extend to the same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees the full  range of benefits currently enjoyed by Federal employees\u2019 opposite-sex  spouses. I look forward to signing it into law.\u201dEqually  Wed magazine supports full marriage equality and encourages you to tell  Congress that it\u2019s time to repeal DOMA. "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"More Baby Steps","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/more-baby-steps\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]