Here is your message:
"Has the Senator seen page 24 of today's Star-Ledger? The article reports that a country club tried to deny equal membership to a gay couple because they are not married and cannot marry in New Jersey. Tell the Senator to read page 24 and that I support marriage equality!"
Mention page 24 in your message. Senators Codey and Sarlo read the hard copy of the Ledger every day. Let's make sure they get to page 24. For your edification, here is the article:
The Star-Ledger, Friday, April 3, 2009
COUNTRY CLUB SNUB SPURS CALL FOR EQUALITY
Gay couple says marriage would have prevented misunderstanding
By Paul Brubaker
When Michael Norton responded to the Glen Ridge Country Club's advertisement for new members, all he wanted was a pool here he could keep cool this summer.
But when Norton asked if a membership would include his domestic partner -- the same way the club allows married members to include their spouses on their memberships -- a club administrator gave him the cold shoulder.
"It was unbelievable. I thought I was kicked in the stomach," Norton, 58, of Bloomfield said yesterday.
Barry Schrager, president of the country club's nine-member board, said Norton and his partner, Stewart D. Grossman, 62, were victims of an unfortunate misunderstanding that stemmed from the employee's error in stating the club's membership policy. The club abides by state law, which recognizes same-sex couples as civil unions and domestic partners, he said.
Grossman and his partner did not pursue a membership, but as the two men are preparing to file allegations with the N.J. Division of Civil Rights against the 115-year-old club, they say the problem is bigger than just one country club's gatekeeper. Their situation would have been avoided if state laws would allow them to say they are married.
"The equality is in the word," Grossman said. "If you tell people you're married, people know what that means."
Stephen Hyland, a Westwood family law attorney who has many gay and lesbian couples as clients, said the Glen Ridge Country Club incident could be attributed to the legal prohibition of the word "marriage" with regard to same-sex couples.
"If this couple had been able to marry, then there would not have been any need to explain anything further," Hyland said. "On the other hand, if you have to leave it up to an individual, then these things are going to pop up."
Norton e-mailed Amy Sikkerboll, the club's controller, on March 23 asking about membership fees for the club's house and pool, according to an e-mail exchange provided by the couple's attorney. He had read the club's advertisement in a community newspaper calling for new members.
Norton later sent a follow-up message asking if Grossman would be included in the membership.
Sikkerboll responded with an e-mail stating "Memberships include spouses but not significant others."
In a later message, Sikkerboll wrote, "This is a very old rule still in force that says couples must be married. There is ongoing discussion at the board level and hopefully it will be changed in the near future."
Sikkerboll did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Schrager, the club's board president, released a statement on Thursday saying the club's policy is to consider all applicants without reference to race, religion or gender. He added that the club recognized all couples sanctioned by state law, including domestic partnerships and civil unions.
"This has been and continues to be the policy of Glen Ridge Country Club," Schrager stated.
In a telephone interview, Schrager said that Sikkerboll's e-mailed statements about the club's policies were incorrect. "The truth is, this club is very different. It's a very welcoming environment. We welcome people of all backgrounds," Schrager said. "It's kind of ironic that this occurred."
David Wald, spokesman for the state Division of Civil Rights, said that authorities were aware of the situation. An investigation would not begin until a formal complaint was filed.
Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, said Norton and Grossman's experience at the country club was not unique, and that the organization has received thousands of complaints of discrimination against domestic partners. "This case is Exhibit A of why we at Garden State Equality are calling for marriage equality," Goldstein said. "This should be a wake-up call to every one of the 120 state legislators. Wake up and smell the inequality that same-sex couples endure."
Schrager said the Glen Ridge Country Club changed its membership policy more than a decade ago to include women.
Asked if the club ever excluded groups other than women from membership Schrager said, "There is no institutional memory. As the laws have evolved, we've evolved."
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment