PEFSA and the Fight for Equitable Partner Benefits at UT
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PEFSA and the Fight for Equitable Partner Benefits at UT[edit]
The Battle for Partner Benefits Before 2015[edit]
In 2005, Proposition 2 passed in Texas, amending the state constitution to specify “marriage as between a man and a woman”, further prohibiting the creation of legal status for relationships other than same-sex marriage. In November 2012, The Daily Texan wrote an article on UT’s benefits for same-sex couples. They began with recent victories for LGBTQ+ Americans and Texans including the election of Tammy Baldwin, the first openly lesbian senator, in Wisconsin, and some workplaces in Texas providing benefits for same-sex couples. In May 2012, a federal appeals court struck down The Defense Against Marriage Act, allowing the opportunity for same-sex couples to receive partner benefits from their jobs. The newspaper calls upon UT to join others and grant important benefits to domestic partners since currently, medical, parental, bereavement, and sick leave are all unavailable to LGBTQ+ and unmarried (but partnered) staff members. They continue by claiming that “the University is losing a competitive edge because it fails to attract and retain LGBTQ+ faculty”. Kieth Walters, a former professor at UT left because “it was made unequivocally clear to [him] that the UT administration had no interest in finding a way to provide benefits for the partners of lesbian and gay staff and faculty.”[1]
Obergefell v. Hodges[edit]
Before July 1, 2015, The University of Texas at Austin (UT) professors had been denied comprehensive health insurance for their domestic partners that were of the same gender. Five days after the Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges , which legalized same-sex marriage, UT started allowing LGBTQ+ employees to enroll in the same plan that was granted to heterosexual and cisgender employees and their families. This bill shifted the support and resources here at UT since it increased support and opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community. The Supreme Court ruling gave formal rights to LGBTQ+ individuals, including legal rights such as partnership benefits conferred to married couples. Formal rights are normally the focus of queer movements due to their easy application with the establishment of new laws. However, informal privileges are fought for as well and are difficult to obtain because they come from the interaction with the society in which LGBTQ+ people live in. An example of these informal privileges are differences in acceptance of public displays of affection between heterosexual couples and same-sex couples.
Information About PEFSA[edit]
The Pride and Equity Faculty Staff Association (PEFSA) regularly holds events and opportunities for students at the University of Texas to recognize the LGBTQ+ community. For instance, on June 17, 2022, PEFSA collaborated with Texas Exes Pride Alumni Network to hold an event for UT members to commemorate LGBTQ+ pride. The event was held at the Cheer Up Charlies bar to recognize the LGBTQIA+ community and build a network for the community.[2] In addition, PEFSA partnered with the GSC, Kind Clinic, and the UHS to create the first monkeypox vaccine clinic on the UT campus.[3] PEFSA also held a Valentine’s March for Equality event which protested for equal insurance benefits, bereavement leaves, and equality for LGBTQ employees and their partners.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ Board, The Daily Texan Editorial. "UT benefits from same-sex benefits". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
- ↑ Brager, Sarah. "Here are some Pride Month events in Austin area to keep on your radar". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
- ↑ Shrestha, Tisha. "UHS to host first monkeypox vaccine clinic on campus". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
- ↑ "Valentine's march for equality". SocialistWorker.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
External Links:[edit]
- https://sites.utexas.edu/pefsa/about/
- https://www.proquest.com/docview/1738486052?pq-origsite=primo&parentSessionId=5EHA8mwunRqaAsJPv8F1N1KlpP8ge82b685p9ZT0Zfw%3D
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