Gay Leaders Say Some Benefits is Not Enough

President Obama signed a federal memorandum late yesterday to extend some benefits to partners of gay and lesbian federal employees. This was the first significant move from the Obama administration regarding gay rights, which news sources report comes as a direct result of increasing pressure from advocates of gay rights. But many of these advocates say it's simply not enough -- and are demanding full benefits, including health care.

The memorandum also comes on the heels of a federal brief filed last week by the Justice Department to uphold the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that exempts the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. Many gay rights leaders have held President Obama to the promise he made during his presidential campaign to repeal DOMA.

General public support for gay rights has steadily crept up in recent years, with majorities showing strong support for a host of same-sex rights. Three-quarters (74 percent) in a December 2008 Newsweek poll backed inheritance rights for gay domestic partners (compared to 60 percent in 2004); 73 percent supported extending health insurance and other employee benefits (compared to 60 percent in 2004), and two-thirds (67 percent) favored granting Social Security benefits (compared to 55 percent in 2004).

It's critical to put this in context of the fact that 57 percent of Americans in a Gallup poll last month continue to oppose legal recognition of marriages between gays and lesbians, with 40 percent saying they should not be recognized by the law as valid. These numbers flip nearly identically when respondents are asked whether gay and lesbian relationships should be legal (56 percent say they should and 40 percent say they should not), which cements the theory that poll results can hinge on the mention of a single word: "marriage."

In fact, when pollsters offer a third choice in their survey question wording, Americans are almost evenly split three ways. A recent FOX News poll indicates 33 percent believe gays and lesbians should be allowed to get legally married (up 13 percentage points since March 2004), 33 favor a legal partnership, and 29 percent say there should be no legal recognition (down 11 percentage points from March 2004).