Just a short one today, cause I really should be getting ready for work
I was ecstatic to hear that "FREEHELD" won the Oscar for best short documentary...if you didn't hear of it, I am not surprised but I will tell you why I am happy it won....
Freeheld, is the story of Laurel Hester and her partner Stacie...yes folks they are a gay couple....Laurel was a member of our Prosecutors Office when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer....I'd known Laurel for the many years we both had been employed at the County. When she was diagnosed and knew she would die shortly, she and her partner became more aware that there were no death benefits for gay partners only for "married" couples....this didn't seem fair to them, or the many others who thought the same, I among them....she asked the Ocean County Freeholders to please adopt a resolution to allow death benefits to same sex couples...the Freeholders denied that request....initially...it was only after many months of constant protests and letters and pleas that they finally gave in and in the 11th hour agreeed to their request.....I believe that Laurel only lasted 2 or 3 months more before passing.....
This movie is about their struggle to get these rights agreed to and it continues into the last days of Laurel's life, which the filmmaker allowed Laurels partner Stacie to film in private
If you get a chance to see what determination these 2 had and the fight they had to put up just to get the rights of other couples, please see it.
Oh, and if I remember correctly, 1 of the Freeholders declined to vote...I won't mention that Freeholders name as he is not worthy of any recognition or respect.
No comments:
Post a Comment