Police lieutenant Laurel Hester, dying of lung cancer in Ocean City, New Jersey, fights to leave her pension to her domestic partner.
- What benefits do married couples receive from the federal, state, and local governments that same-sex couples do not?
- Do you believe that withholding benefits violates the Fourteenth Amendment, which ensures equal protection under the law? Why or why not?
- What are the political costs of providing benefits for same-sex couples? of not providing benefits?
- Can you think of a solution that might satisfy both sides of this debate?