Marvin Burrows and his partner William Swenor were together for 51 years. Burrows and Swenor did everything within their power to demonstrate their commitment to each other and to provide for the surviving partner in the event of one partner’s death, including registering as domestic partners. Swenor worked as a warehouse crew leader for more than 35 years. Throughout Swenor’s employment, he was a member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and contributed to...
Tag
lgbt elders
(San Francisco, July 27, 2012)—Yesterday, the National Center for Lesbian Rights Elder Law Project and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission co-hosted “Setting the Agenda: Issues Facing LGBTQ Elders of Color,” a groundbreaking meeting that brought together representatives from nearly two dozen government agencies and organizations to discuss key issues and obstacles facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer elders of color. The goal of the event was to provide a forum for LGBTQ...
(San Francisco, CA, December 20, 2011)—A pioneering new guide released today gives California’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders—who are more likely to face discrimination, be low-income, and live in poverty—comprehensive information about their rights and the services that are available to them as they navigate the system of public and social benefits. The guide—called “Navigating the System: A Know-Your-Rights Guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders in...
Statement by NCLR Federal Policy Director Maya Rupert, Esq. (Washington D.C., December 9, 2011)—This week, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) co-hosted a day-long summit on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elder housing issues with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This is the first-ever national event to address housing, health and long-term care issues for LGBTQ elders. More than 90 people registered...
Statement by NCLR Federal Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, October 11, 2011)—On October 9, 2011, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill—AB 641—that provides same-sex spouses and registered domestic partners of nursing home residents the same financial protections available to opposite sex married couples. The groundbreaking law protects Californians in same sex relationships from losing access to joint financial resources, such as bank accounts or stock,...
Assembly Bill 641 Extends Financial Protections for Medi-Cal’s Long Term Care Benefit to Same Sex Spouses and Registered Domestic Partners (Sacramento, CA, September 9, 2011)—The Legislature has given final approval to legislation authored by Assembly Member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) that would provide same sex spouses and registered domestic partners of nursing home residents the same financial protections available to opposite sex married couples. Without these protections, Californians in...
(San Francisco, CA, April 5, 2011)—A majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults who answered a national online survey believe that staff of long-term care facilities would discriminate against an LGBTQ elder who was open about his or her sexual orientation, and more than half believe that staff or other residents would abuse or neglect an LGBTQ elder. Released today, the groundbreaking report—LGBTQ Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities: Stories from the...
Without traditional support systems in place, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders end up relying on nursing homes or other institutions providing long-term care. Today, the National Senior Citizens Law Center—along with the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)—released a report showing that LGBTQ elders are often not safe in these...
This pioneering new guide includes comprehensive information about your rights and the services that are available to you as you navigate the system of public and social benefits in California. Download PDF
(San Francisco, CA, July 23, 2010) —Late yesterday evening, Clay Greene and the estate of Harold Scull, Greene’s deceased partner of 20 years, reached a settlement resolving their lawsuit against the County of Sonoma (“County”) and other defendants. Greene and Scull’s estate will receive more than $600,000 to compensate for the damages the couple suffered due to the County’s discriminatory and unlawful conduct. “What Clay and Harold lost can never be replaced, but this settlement...
