Same-sex benefits ruling disappointing

Pitt won the right to continue discriminating against its gay and lesbian employees Jan. 12 -… Pitt won the right to continue discriminating against its gay and lesbian employees Jan. 12 – at least until the eight-year-long, same-sex benefits court case is appealed – in a victory that will hopefully be short-lived.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Robert Gallo ruled that Pitt was not subject to a City of Pittsburgh Civil Rights ordinance, citing a 1999 Pennsylvania law that exempts state and state-related universities from local ordinances concerning health benefits.

Of course, this law was passed for the express purpose of exempting Pitt from the ordinance in question, which makes this ruling no surprise. And Pitt won not by an actual decision in their favor, but by exploiting a matter of protocol, and one created on account of the University.

Justice should not hinge on matters of protocol. Pitt should stop hiding behind this convenient hedge and address the issue at hand – granting benefits to a small number of workers, which would surely cost less than this lengthy legal proceeding and certainly bring the University better press. During this legal battle, Pitt has presented itself as diametrically opposed to civil rights, which is the worst PR anyone could ask for.

Pitt, in proscribing Pitt Script and embroidering University of Pittsburgh on everything- ya know, to class things up a bit – wants to be both elite and part of the city. Denying these benefits makes us part of a bigoted elite. And moving to strike ordinances, seeking exemptions and generally distancing itself from the city doesn’t achieve this goal – and now no one can buy simple Pitt shirts, either.

And the arguments Pitt presents for why this handful of workers should not be granted benefits are facile at best and thinly veiled homophobia at worst.

Temple University, Pennsylvania’s other urban, large state-related university, granted same-sex benefits last summer, without censure from Harrisburg. Most of the other universities that Pitt so optimistically compares itself to already offer benefits, as do a rising number of businesses, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

And lastly, what kind of image is Pitt presenting to its prospective students, gay, lesbian or otherwise? Clearly, Pitt wants these potential students to know that they are welcome to study here, but not to work for Pitt and receive benefits considered de rigueur elsewhere.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing seven Pitt employees, current and former, has already said that it will appeal. For the sake of Pitt’s workers, and for Pitt, let’s hope this happens quickly, and with a more favorable outcome.