I’m blogging tonight at the town hall meeting at the UAB Honors House for domestic partner benefits.

The meeting has been organized to address the current issues regarding domestic partner benefits for UAB faculty. Jade Delisle and Bryan Benjamin Bailey are filming tonight’s meeting as part of their documentary film on the subject.

Jade has started the meeting. Introductions are being made and she is explaining the purpose for making this documentary. She is explaing a few points about the way the meeting will be conducted, disclaimers and discussion about consent to be filmed.

The floor has been opened, and the first point of discussion is:
“Why are you here?”
gentleman: “I am a social activist and a human rights equalist”
lady, president of Glbt equality at Uab, “we have had trouble being heard. most of the people supporting this movement don’t need the benefits, but want the equality that has been afforded to other groups.”

gentleman: “I am here to help with my ideas about human rights”

lady, works with equality alabama, “we are offering our support”

Jade’s new point: “what policies prompted you to act?”

lady – “there were no policies, people were approaching us to put these policies in place”
points about equal treatment

“Our proposal is sitting in an office, being reviewed by the system administrator for expense both political and financial. It is expected to be put before the fringe benefits meeting.”

Gentleman- a story about benefits group representative was unaware of the reason for the lack of benefits for same-sex partners.

lady, representative of pride group, telling about the unfairness of political and personal equality of glbt persons. speaking of her Christian belief system accompdating same-sex relationships and not being judgemental towards those who are different. “what should change is the feeling of being uncomfortable around someone because they are gay. we’re just like everybody else, we don’t want special rights, just equal rights”

gentleman- “We don’t have the option to choose health plans like straight couples, who could pick between the husband or wife’s plan”

Jade’s new topic of discussion; “Is it worth the effort of the fight, or should we be glad to get what we have?”

a few people are sharing stories about d.p.b. in progressive workplaces.

discussion about prejudiced views about the stereotype of all gay men having aids.

gentleman- some people argue against benefits because of legality of gay marriage, ineligabilty of same-sex couples for common law marriage, this unable to claim on policy.

lady- hearsay story about UA in Tuscaloosa investigating domestic partner benefits for their campus, and reported that it would add coverage for only 15 more people.

gentleman- regarding why people don’t want to speak out. tell them nobody is going give them what they need unless they ask for them.

new point- why aren’t as many people attending and speaking out? do you know someone who could have come (gay or straight) but didn’t?

gentleman- “they don’t want to rock the boat”

tangent about Herzing college, ITT and other private institutins having partner benefits.

new discussion about other institutions and businesses with partner benefits that could be used as a model.

gentleman- we all need to do the work, not put it on someone else. it isn’t that complicated, but we make it that way. it’s simply doing the right thing.

lady- this is what the state needs, to keep good researchers in the state who went elsewhere because of a lack of dpb. not necessarily because they needed them, but what it said about the political and social climate

Jade is talking about trying to schedule interviews with Dr. Garrison and other university figures, but that they declined while stating their interest in the film.

gentleman- point about UAB being the last university in the SEC to not offer dpb.

lady- we presented figures about the cost with the proposal and it is not a financial decision but a political one. it would be less than 1% of the total healthcare budget.

gentleman- these political decisions require approval from the board of trustees. school officials defer to this fact when confronted, and that’s who need to know. academics understand, but the board is not made of academics.

idea about Friday afternoon faculty walkout in protest for the lack of benefits

gentleman- that works for the academics side, but I work in the hospital and I can’t legally do that

gentleman- there us a divide in campus between the academic side of UAB and the medical side.. that needs to be bridged campus-wide.

gentleman- story about repressing personality and behavior around people at work, so as not to lose their job.

lady- “my sexuality does not define me. I’m not as out there with it. you get shunned for being outwardly and openly gay”

gentleman- story about UAB making an affordance for his spouse to be relocated with him when he accepted a faculty position.

Jade- “what other reasons are people afraid?”

lady- “a physical threat of violence from ultra-conservatives or narrow minded people”

gentleman- UAB is health oriented, and students in that program are taught to be culturally aware and respectful towards patients different from them, but there is a disconnect because the university itself doesn’t exemplify what is being taught.

[off-tape]- discussion about failure of those appointed to represent and coordinate diversity and equity at UAB to do anything for the glbt community..

Jade- “what other minority groups have representation on campus?”

lady- “all of them.. even religious groups”

gentleman- “you get money for hiring african-Americans, Hispanics and women”

gentleman- discussion about reasoning for not being fully out for uncertainties regarding being treated differently by peers and in career decisions based on prejudices.

gentleman- “we’re fighting this locally, in Alabama; people aren’t worried about what the nation thinks about it, but what they say about it at church.”

gentleman- there is hearsay about the
president being for it personally, but not wanting to put he career on the chopping block for it.

jade- “would she not be on the chopping block for UAB’s failure to address dpb?”

gentleman- compares the social climate of Dr Garrison’s UAB to previous ones, citing the improvements in representation under her. but very few examples where the glbt community at UAB has done the work. names the few examples- glbt center, dpb movements.

“I can think of four deans who would get behind us on this”

“I don’t think the president is the problem, we need to go above her. we need to investigate the board and find out how to get our message to them”

new discussion about other universities in the state addressing dpb, and rallying with them for more clout.

gentleman- “we need to find a way where we can have this conversation with the board. it will be difficult to set up but it needs to happen.”

lady- “has anyone filed legal action for discrimination?”

Jade explains the lack of Alabama recognition of homosexuals as a protected minority, not able to be used for the basis of a discrimination lawsuit.

Jade- “I doubt you would be able to find someone in the Alabama legal community that would be willing to take this to state court.”

Jade, on the feasibility of a legal case: “to do so would require major personal sacrifice, private funding and the ability to be supported for a ten year battle and fund a whole legal researh team”

new discussion about forming student protest groups, class walk-outs.

gentleman- need 70-80% participation. if only 10% do it, it looks stupid and hurts the cause. Anecdote about successful African-American student walkout.

lady, film professor- “what do these students need to know or do with this film to get your message out?”

gentleman- “go to some university that has dpb and interview an hr rep or president about why they have it”

gentleman- “broadcast this on the new UAB channel”

Jade- “we also have the Internet”, remarks about facebook and viral campaigns

gentleman- “interviews with people who wouldn’t come to UAB because of no dpb, anything where someone avoids discussion”

Jade is concluding the discussion and addressing paperwork.