Gay Communities Facing More Than Marriage Amendment Battle

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/06/061106georgia.htm

When Donna Waddell's partner of 11 years, Jean Tyson, complained of chest pains, Waddell dialed 911.

As the ambulance was en route, Waddell dashed for the lock box where the couple keeps their durable power of attorney. If Tyson became unconscious and medical decisions needed to be made, Waddell, a nurse, knew she'd need the papers. And she worried that without them she wouldn't be able to get into Tyson's hospital room because of family-only rules.

With the debate raging in Georgia - and nationally - over a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, Waddell and many others in the gay and lesbian community say they have less ambitious, and more mundane, concerns.

"I don't want to minimize the importance of same-sex marriage. Ultimately, it's very important," Waddell, 59, said. "But we've got a lot of other things we need to take care of before we get there."

[rodeodance]

1. yes, yes. yes.

[sui generis]

2. two sides to that equation

at any rate - if I pay the damn medical bills I say who gets to see the patient. End of story. I pity the fool who gets in my way, but most doctors and nurses wouldn't.

Unfortunately it is the very "family" who claims to have priority in those medical decisions who often gets in the way.

If you really worry about it, do this: Call the hospital first and find out EXACTLY what their policy is. You can even leave an open ended statement in your patient file that you refuse to allow family visitors, and only people on an attached list may visit.

The other side is you get those rights with marriage. But for sure, find out what the policies of your local hospitals are. It might even bear an independent article submission comparing those policies, but the hospital sets them, and the hospital chooses to enforce or not enforce state pronouncements on this, not the state.

A hospital is a service just like getting your hair cut or your ass feathers waxed, and don't ever let them forget it.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. Equal marriage > durable power of attorney

If Waddell were Tyson's legal spouse, she wouldn't need to worry about finding durable power of attorney, because "family only" rules would automatically include her.

[William769]

4. If she had been allowed to mary

All of this would have been a moot point. Something is rotten in Denmark here. :eyes: