More Inequities in Oregon's Domestic Partnership Law
Hey gays! Have you ever wanted to be two people at the same time? Well now you can!
It looks as though gay and lesbian couples who register as Domestic Partners in Oregon are running into expensive roadblocks when it comes to establishing their own identity - and no not their sexual identity - their actual names.
Under Oregon's Domestic Partnership law you are able to take you partner's name, or as many do, hyphenate your last names. Sounds great right? Well sure, you no longer have to pay to legally change your name in Oregon. The complication comes at the federal level. Try telling the Social Security Administration that you have changed your name. 'You are who? No you aren't.", they will say to you.
So this is what happens. Your name is legally changed at the state level but in no way shape or form is that recognized by federal agencies like the Social Security Admin. So you basically have two names. Could get quite confusing in hundreds of situations even with passports.
The only way around this is to pay a $200 fee to the feds. So now a family has to pay hundreds just for what should be a no brainer.
As one couple told us:
We went ahead and petitioned the court to allow us to change our names legally because we found out that the Social Security office would not honor our DP certificate as a legal name change doc. So we had to pay $200.00 for something that we would have received automatically if we were a man/woman couple.
Just another example of an inequity in Oregon's Domestic Partnership law. Something that a straight couple who gets married never even has to think about.
Related Post:
OR Domestic Partnership Law Already Bleeding Inequities
Labels: domestic partnership, oregon
This entry was posted
on Friday, February 22, 2008 at 12:32 PM.
Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.
ByIt doesn't appear to be an inequity in Oregon's law....but in the Federal law instead. Oregon appears to be giving it up free and clear...but the feds, not so easy.
By
Indeed, Oregon was affording us what all the other straight couples automatically get... it is the good old US of A and the DOMA that are making this way harder than it has to be!
Back in 2004, during Oregon gay marriage days, we went to the local court house at that time, and paid our $80 to legally change our middle name to our partner's last name. So, is anyone campaigning in '08 on the platform overturning of DOMA? ;-)
Thanks for the article! I have been wondering how this name change thing would play out. Wendy
By
This is what heppens when we "leave it to the states to decide." Clinton says this all the time. obama talks about a STRONG version of civil unions that means federal recognition. Leaving it to the states is more trouble than it is worth if the fed is not going to back it up. I am a legally married gay man in Massachusetts and we have the same problems at the federal level.
Jos76
www.jos76.wordpress.com
By
I wanted to add that not only is the fee an issue, to legally change your name your must file, then post the filing to see if anyone objects, then appear in court before the judge, then the judge's judgment is posted on a board to see if anyone objects, THEN you receive the document.
It's not an easy process.
By
R.S.G. is right on that one! It was like an 8 week process of filing, posting, stamping, posting and then the judge signed it "if no one objected." So it was MUCH more of a hassle than our "het" counterparts encounter.
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