I checked in on my Facebook page a few minutes ago and caught a post by Janice Langbehn.  She’s on my friends list.  Her tragically true story is something you really need to know about, particularly if you still believe gay and lesbian couples are asking for ’special rights’ or you don’t really understand what happens when gay and lesbian couples don’t have adequate or equal couples rights.

We are indeed fortunate Janice is willing to take her personal pain and create something very positive out of it.  What’s Janice’s story? Very simply, Janice was denied a simple, yet very important right married heterosexual couples take for granted: the right to spend the last minutes of her partner’s life with her partner.

Before you get to know Janice’s story, just imagine for a moment being denied the right to hold the hand of the most important and loved person in your life as he or she is dying because hospital staff…

• either have the right to deny you ‘family’ or ’spouse’ status (because you don’t have legal protections in place) or
• they choose to question the legal rights you’ve put into place, even if you present them with legal, written documentation, on the spot

The next time someone tells you that you want ’special rights’, you need to share with them Janice’s story.  Eventually, if we spread stories like Janice’s far and wide enough, enough hearts will change, and laws will change to reflect the fact that the rights of same sex couples should be equal to the rights of heterosexual couples, for both practical and human rights reasons, regardless of whether others agree with those laws or not, due to their own individual religious or other personal beliefs.

I am heartened to see that Janice’s story is getting more and more visibility.  For example, be sure to watch Janice’s recent interview for the TV show ‘In the Life’:

And, be sure to write Janice and support her in what she is doing.  Anyone who is engaged in an undertaking like hers could use the support!

Barb Elgin, MSW, LCSW, Certified Singles Coach, is Coach Sappho: America’s Favorite Lesbian Love Coach and Matchmaker.  Be sure to stop by www.coachsappho.com, pick up your FREE gifts as well as to learn about our exciting new singles club for lesbians and our community for lesbian couples.

© Copyright 2009, Barb Elgin.  All Rights Reserved.  Feel free to forward this article as long as attribution remains intact.

Disclaimer: The suggestions and feedback offered in this column are but one perspective of multiple approaches to dealing with problems or challenges. Information provided in articles and advice columns should not be used as a substitute for coaching or therapy when these services are needed. None of this information should be your only source when making important life decisions. This information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a particular problem, nor should it take the place of a consultation with a trained professional. It is your responsibility to consult a professional prior to making any life decisions.

Tags: gay and lesbian couples, hospital visitation, hospital visitation rights, Janice Langbehn, visitation rights for gays

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 4:56 pm and is filed under Be Ready for Love, Committed Relationships, Family and Social Support, Lesbian Couples, Lesbian Dating, Lesbians, Love & Money, Marriage Equality, Parenting and Lesbian Relationships, Pre-Commitment-Is this the Relationship for Me?, Single Lesbians. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.