By Lara Schwartz State and federal laws impose real dollar costs on real people. Call it “The Cost of Being Gay.” Many of the most significant examples of this cost occur in state and federal tax law. On tax day (April 15), Americans file both state and federal tax returns. For GLBT couples, tax day is a concrete reminder of the inequality that results from being denied marriage rights and from the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies federal recognition of same-sex relationships for over one thousand federal protections.
The Cost of Being Gay can have a serious impact. Take social security: on tax day, all American workers file tax returns that include, among other things, a statement of the total amount of social security payroll taxes they paid. GLBT Americans pay the same payroll taxes as everyone else, but are excluded from spousal benefits and survivors’ benefits. In fact, read more!
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