Representatives from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center proposed to Athens City Council Monday night, but not about getting married.
Representatives brought three proposals before the council at its Monday meeting. Of those, two concern domestic partnerships. This is a step in the right direction.
The one proposal constructs domestic partner benefits for city employees. That would give domestic partners access to health insurance, sick leave and housing rights for their significant others. It also would ensure fair treatment of all employees and their partners.
The other proposal would establish a domestic partnership registry. With a uniform system for partners to record their relationships, private and public institutions will be able to recognize the partnerships.
Without the registry, there would be a lack of equality, as those institutions would be unable to confirm the partnerships for the purpose of health insurance, picking up children from school and family packages for business services.
These proposals should pass. To do so would make Athens a more accepting city, and therefore a more attractive city. Passage sends a strong positive message to the LGBT community that Athens is a city with open arms.
Doing so would also help with the national push for equality. Each time local governments enact domestic partnership laws they reduce the need for a national law. They also encourage other grassroots movements to push for similar laws in other locales.
As Councilman Elahu Gosney said, “We want a city where the neighbor on your right is treated the same as the neighbor on your left.” That’s a city we want also.
Council plans to bring the proposals forward for first reading at next week’s meeting. We await the meeting where council will pass them.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors.
