# Gay Rights progress in Colorado. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 13, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347 "2006-02-13T22:14:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347/1 "2006-02-13T22:14:53Z")
An interestering development in Colorado shows, I believe, progress in the Gay Agenda. It wasn’t so long ago that the idea of gay people having equal rights to inheritance, dependent coverage and other benefits was presumed absurd. Then when gay folks started demanding those rights, it was fought tooth-and-nail. But the tide of reason and rationality has been turning. _Lawrence_ and _Romer_ have made it clear that unbridled bigotry is losing ground. Now comes Colorado state Senator Shawn Mitchell. [\*from the L.A. Times](http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-focus12feb12,0,5941072.story?coll=la-news-politics-national) > [@](#): > > The bill’s author, Republican state Sen. Shawn Mitchell, does not support gay marriage or other arrangements, such as civil unions, that would put same-sex households on par with the traditional family. But he also thinks it’s wrong that a gay man could be denied the right to visit his partner in the hospital or the ability to carry the partner as a dependent on his health insurance. > > So Mitchell has proposed a new legal category in Colorado: “reciprocal beneficiaries.” > > His bill would allow any two people who are close but cannot legally marry — a lesbian couple, two elderly brothers, an aunt and her doting niece — to register with their county clerk as reciprocal beneficiaries. What’s more remarkable is that Focus on the Family, one of the nation’s most adamant gay-rights foes, is endorsing the bill. Now obviously, I don’t think it is enough. But it is certainly a step in the right direction. It’s a step that was unthinkable a decade ago. What more might be possible in another decade if rights activists don’t stop demanding equality? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347/2 "2006-02-13T22:39:53Z")
California already has a “Domestic Partnership” law. I don’t know much about it, but from what I have heard, it’s very similar to this proposed Colorado law. I haven’t really heard much one way or the other about it here, which I suppose means people are happy with it. So, yeah. It’s a step in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347/3 "2006-02-14T03:30:56Z")
I find it a bit scary that Focus on the Family is behind me (well the bill anyway). I guess I need to look over my shoulder more now. Bob ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347/4 "2006-02-14T12:31:29Z")
It’s not that remarkable that Focus on the Family is supporting this. Once you get legislation to remedy some of the more blatant injustices that homosexual couples have to go through (like being unable to visit their loved one in the hospital), it becomes that much more difficult to get public support behind legalizing same-sex marriages. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347/5 "2006-02-14T13:36:49Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > It’s not that remarkable that Focus on the Family is supporting this. Once you get legislation to remedy some of the more blatant injustices that homosexual couples have to go through (like being unable to visit their loved one in the hospital), it becomes that much more difficult to get public support behind legalizing same-sex marriages. That’s it. It’s a two-fer. At the same time as Focus on the Family are supporting this bill, they are working to get an issue on this November’s ballot to outlaw gay marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-rights-progress-in-colorado/344347/6 "2006-02-14T14:03:20Z")
Although, I understand your point, **Neurotik** , I take it as a good sign of progress that they’ve conceded that much ground. A few years ago, they would have fought even that token of acceptance. They’ve lost the ability to fight for complete vilification and are now fighting for scraps. They will lose those, too, eventually. Time is against them.