Yesterday, a very good friend of mine became a U.S. citizen.
It was a day of great excitement and a gigantic reality check for me.
I realized that he is more of a citizen than I am... a more equal part of society... and that I am paying for that in many ways.
I wrote about it in a diary called:
Citizenship 101 - Some of us are just more equal.
I laid out some implications of being a gay U.S. citizen vs. a straight U.S. Citizen.
Beyond being "recognized" as an equal member of this society, there is a financial price that I, as a gay man, must pay to be a less than 100% equal member of this society.
And I did the numbers...
And its not pretty for me...
And its not fair for me...
In 2009, my partner/husband/significant other decided to pursue a different career and went back to school. His income was almost zero.
So just for fun, I opened my 2009 tax software and did a simple change.
I changed my exemption status from Single to Married.
I just changed my federal return.
I did not change my state return.
I did not look at the taxation of my partner's health benefits through my private company's health plan.
I didn't do anything else.
Just that one change. Just that one year.
That single, simple change would have given me a tax reduction of $6,225.00
Beyond the emotional price that we pay, having our life condemned on a daily basis in the halls of power in this country, there is a financial one.
$6225 a year. To be Queer. To have less rights. To not be allowed to serve this country in the military. To not be able to adopt. To not be able to pass property without taxation and interference.
And then I stopped. I have not even looked at the real estate tax, inheritance tax, or Social Security implications of being a partial citizen. And I closed the software.
I find it strikingly unfair that I have a 100% financial obligation to pay a fair share of the tax burden, yet there are over 1100 laws that prevent me from being an equal member of this society.
Its like I'm paying full price for a box of donuts and someone has already taken a bite or licked the icing off of each one. No discount for damaged goods for you!
There is a price we pay, as gay men and women, and it's way beyond the $6225 in federal taxes. And very few people seem to care or even understand the inequity.
Where is the outrage at the high taxes that gays and lesbians pay?
Where are the teabaggers coming to rescue us from high taxes and government interference in our lives?
Between the crazies in the pulpit and our "fierce advocate" in the White House, I guess I should continue to budget for being gay.
Hey brother, got a spare $6225?