Saturday, November 15, 2008

DENIED: Partner Health Benefits


Here's Paul at today's rally for Marriage Equality in Houston. That sign he's holding is no joke. I've been a Professor at the University of Houston for ten years, and for most of that time I have held an endowed chair as John and Rebecca Moores Professor.
But unlike my married heterosexual colleagues, I'm not eligible for health care coverage for my family. How long will this discriminatory practice continue? When will the academy, or the State Board of Regents, or even the "creative writing industry" say no more, that's a tacit form of genocide, to say that we don't care if your families have medical care or not.

I'm leaving Houston at the end of this semester. I've loved my students and my work here, but I have to say I'm happy to be moving to an institution -- Rutgers University in New Brunwick, New Jersey -- that respects difference. How many more decades of this, Texas?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i think its sad that in this day in age the human race still has such discriminatory behavior, especially in a nation that prides its self on equality. however, i think you will love working in new jersey, my state is full of accepting people and young writers who will be more than thrilled to learn from you at Rutgers.