wfn.org | Civil rights for same-sex couples endorsed

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

03-July-1996 
 
GA96067 
 
 
    Civil rights for same-sex couples endorsed 
 
 
ALBUQUERQUE - The committee on National and Urban Issues labored for four 
hours Tuesday before approving a resolution in support of granting civil 
rights to same-sex couples. The matter will come to the Assembly Thursday 
afternoon as part of the committee's report. 
The issue came to the committee by way of commissioners' resolution 95-10, 
referred to this Assembly by the 207th GA (1995). The original resolution 
called the Assembly to endorse a preliminary decision of the Hawaii Supreme 
Court that it is unconstitutional to deny the rights and responsibilities 
of "civil marriage" on the basis of gender. It called for the Stated Clerk 
to explore the feasibility of filing a friend-of-the-court brief. 
 
    However, the committee passed a substitute resolution by 24-14 that 
reads: 
 
    "Affirming the church's historic definition of marriage as a civil 
contract between a man and a woman, yet recognizing that committed same-sex 
partners seek equal civil liberties in a contractual relationship with all 
the civil rights and privileges and status of married couples, we urge the 
office of the State Clerk to explore the feasibility of entering 
friend-of-the-court briefs and support legislation in favor of giving civil 
rights to same-sex partners." 
 
    The committee held an open hearing on the matter Monday morning, and 
heard from many of the 92 people who wanted to speak. Several in favor told 
stories of being denied health insurance coverage because they had no legal 
status to be included on their partner's policy. Speakers in support of the 
action urged the committee to go beyond personal feelings about homosexual 
marriage and concentrate on the issue as one of civil rights. 
Others told the committee that saying "yes" to the resolution would be a 
rejection of Presbyterian theology. 
 
    Committee members also struggled with these concerns. Several indicated 
the matter called for the church to affirm a new definition of marriage. 
 
    Judy Woods, an attorney who advises the church on litigation, told the 
committee that the Hawaii case probably will be the first case to ask the 
U.S. Supreme Court to rule on this issue--whether to endorse marriage as a 
civil contract without regard to gender. 
 
    The committee first passed a substitute motion, which replaced the 
original resolution. That substitute basically opposed the original 
document. However, another substitute motion was made, and it became the 
language the committee adopted. 
 
 
 
In other action Tuesday 
 
    The committee adopted the report from the advocacy committee for 
women's concerns with only slight modifications to its recommendations, 
many of which referred to a platform for action drafted at the UN Fourth 
World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in September 1995. 
 
    The committee changed language calling for the Assembly to "affirm" the 
Beijing declaration and platform for action to "commend for study." Concern 
also was expressed about a "rights of the child" portion of the UN 
convention against all forms of discrimination against women. 
 
    The recommendations called for development of more gender-sensitive 
material and programs, particularly for girl children and youth from 
racial ethnic backgrounds. 
 
    The committee approved a resolution from the Presbytery of Louisville 
directing the Assembly to implement an action plan to "bring the church's 
influence to bear" so that the media will act "to strengthen moral values." 
(96-119) 
 
        The committee approved an overture from the Presbytery of East Iowa 
that calls for a refocus of attention to the needs of infants, children and 
young people (96-97). 
 
 
Nancy Borst 

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