The IRS doesn’t think they’re a family. They share a house, a child and 13 years of togetherness, but that doesn’t mean Ellen Somberg and Kathy O’Donnell are entitled to filing joint tax returns—even while heterosexual couples married in reality TV shows have that option 10 minutes after they meet.
This inequity is part of more than 1,000 discriminatory Federal rules and statutes —affecting taxation, family and medical leave, health insurance, social security and hospital visitation—that will be discussed at a community town hall meeting on Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Broadway United Methodist Church, 3344 N. Broadway.
Sponsored by Human Rights Campaign Illinois in cooperation with several other organizations (Horizons, AIDS Foundation Chicago, BUNGALO, the Chicago Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Bar Association’s Committee on the Legal Rights of Lesbians and Gay Men), presenters will include Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Rahm Emmanuel, plus Barbara Menard, HRC’s deputy director of legislation and Roger McCaffrey, a Chicago-based family and estate attorney. The public is invited to share their experiences and learn how to take action.
For more information: (773) 528-2526.