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Gay-rights supporters in Utah cheered news Wednesday that President Barack Obama is extending some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. But they hope he goes further.
"It's kind of disappointing that we can't roll out equality in one fell swoop and be like our heterosexual counterparts," said Utah Pride Center executive director Valerie Larabee. But she called Wednesday's move "a step in the right direction."
Larabee stands to benefit from the change. Her partner of six years, L'aura Bradford, works for the Defense Department at Hill Air Force Base.
"Not being able to share those benefits with my partner," said Bradford, an information-technology worker, "it makes that job less valuable."
Wednesday's move means Bradford can add her partner to long-term care insurance and use sick leave to care for Larabee. But it does not give Bradford and other federal workers the ability to include a same-sex partner in health insurance and retirement benefits.
Some Utah governments are ahead of Obama on that front. Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and Park City all offer health-insurance benefits to domestic partners of their employees.
Equality Utah, a gay-rights advocacy group, is pushing to get the state and other cities and counties to offer similar perks.
"It ends up benefiting the employer," said Will Carlson, Equality Utah's public policy manager. "If you've got a sick family member who can't afford health
He called Obama's push to grant employees' domestic-partner benefits -- the president also backs legislation to expand health coverage -- a "smart move."
For Lisa Bernson, a lesbian who has worked in Salt Lake City's U.S. Bankruptcy Court for 23 years, "It's a matter of fairness."
"I'm not asking for special rights," she said. "I'm just asking for what everybody else receives" in job benefits to their families.
Obama's announcement Wednesday is "wonderful," she added. "It's been a long time coming."
