In San Francisco, a city long seen as a leader in LGBTQ+ rights, a new proposal is raising eyebrows — and alarm.
The Bay Area Reporter says Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who is openly gay, is calling for the repeal of a decades-old law that requires city contractors to offer equal benefits to same-sex domestic partners. Known as the Equal Benefits Ordinance, the law was passed in 1997 — long before marriage equality became the law of the land.
Dorsey argues that with marriage now legal for same-sex couples, the ordinance is outdated and blocks the city from doing business with many firms, costing taxpayers millions. He says just 45% of large companies still offer domestic partner benefits.
But critics — including former Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Jeff Sheehy — say the move is premature and dangerous, especially with threats to marriage equality looming in the current political climate.
Ammiano called the proposal "disturbing," saying it ignores the real risk of rollback and the needs of couples — gay and straight — who still rely on domestic partnerships for financial reasons.
Dorsey says any repeal could include a safeguard: the ordinance would be reinstated if federal marriage equality were overturned.
