Statements by Floyd and Griffin
Sept. 4 HRC Press Conference
WANDA:
My name is Wanda Floyd, and this is my partner, Sheryl Griffin, and we live in Durham, North Carolina. We've spent the last eight years of our lives together. In July 2002, surrounded by family, friends and co-workers, we committed to spend the rest of our lives together.
Like most other couples, once we had made that promise, we decided to buy a home together. Our first realtor was biased towards gay people, so we let him go. Our second realtor was wonderful, and she, alongside our mortgage broker and two attorneys, helped us find a beautiful house. Of course, we had to talk through what would happen in the event that one of us died. Married couples would automatically inherit the home they shared with their spouse. They wouldn't have to pay transfer or estate taxes on the property. But we would.
From the onset of buying the house, we had to spend an exorbitant amount of money on lawyers for things that a married couple wouldn't have to worry about-- on top of already costly inspection and closing fees. Our lawyers updated our wills and powers of attorney. They discussed the "rite of survivorship." These were all very important for us, especially because my family does not respect our relationship. The sad truth is that no matter how much we've promised one another in life and in death, Sheryl and I are strangers under the law. If I didn't have a will, my parents would be legally recognized as my closest survivors. Married couples don't need a will to put their loved one first. But, even with a will, Sheryl would still be forced to pay heavy taxes on an inheritance while couples with a civil marriage license would not be faced with these taxes.
SHERYL:
After we signed the closing papers on our home, our closing attorney took the opportunity to quiz us on homosexuality and the Bible. This should have been a celebratory moment. But she had gotten her attorney fees and felt it was a proper time to make her feelings known. Wanda's a pastor, and we held our ground, but we shouldn't have had to at that moment.
We feel like a "married" couple, but we aren't under the law. My company offers domestic partner insurance. But if Wanda were added to my policy, I would be taxed on her insurance, when my married co-workers aren't taxed on their spouses' insurance. Even though we've both contributed to Social Security all our lives, neither of us would receive it if the other one died, like my mother received Social Security survivor benefits when my father died.
WANDA:
That lack of protection is a threat to our family — and a threat to the hundreds of thousands of other gay families. Civil marriage would end that threat. There mere fact that civil marriage for gays and lesbians hasn't ever existed in this country doesn't make it right to deny us such critical security. After all, the mere fact that slavery had been around for hundreds of years didn't make it tolerable.
It's time for us to rally around our nation's promise of equality. And it's time to make that promise to every loving family, including my own.