Letter to the Editor: An acquaintance of mine died recently. I only had a few conversations with him sitting in the balcony of our church and did not know him beyond those brief but deep whispered conversations. His unexpected death came at a time when he seemed truly content in his life and the outpouring of love for him from my church family is a testament to his character. I read his obituary today and was disheartened that his husband (they were married in Washington, D.C.) had been downgraded to a "devoted friend" and placed last on a long list of relatives. Six years of commitment swept aside with a few strokes on a keyboard. From a legal side, his husband has no survivorship benefits. It is a sad statement on our society that a marriage lasting 72 days confers more legal rights than a relationship of six years simply because of the gender of its participants. Marriage equality should be a federal mandate, but until that time West Virginia needs to get on the right side of history and the right side of love and fairness by enacting its own marriage equality law. To further this cause, we invite you to join us at 10 a.m. Feb. 14 as we gather on the grounds of the Cabell County Courthouse and proceed to "Apply for Equality."
Raine Klover
Huntington
Originally posted in the Herald-Dispatch.