Gay officials have a duty

Re “Outing requires guidelines,” Column, May 29

As a gay woman, I agree with James Rainey that public officials shouldn’t be outed as long as their policies do no harm to the gay community.

But when he says that closeted gay officials should not be outed based on their stance that legally binding partnerships provide “all the needed rights and protections for same-sex couples,” we differ.

Times have changed; that’s not a moderate stance anymore, and legally binding partnerships are not marriage. My wife and I pay a tax on health insurance from which straight couples are exempt. If I die, she will pay inheritance taxes on my estate, and she’s not entitled to Social Security, no matter how long we’re married.

So if closeted gay officials do not pursue full equal rights for gay couples, then they are pursuing discrimination. That’s not just hypocrisy; it affects people’s lives, and no one -- least of all journalists -- should be obliged to keep quiet about that.

Jennifer Hoppe

Sherman Village