Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Center's forum provides money, healthcare tips
by Mason Harrison
2010-06-30

This article shared 2207 times since Wed Jun 30, 2010
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


The Center on Halsted hosted a financial and healthcare empowerment seminar June 23 for same-sex couples that was sponsored by state treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias. The forum featured financial-rights attorney Ray Koenig as its main speaker. The event—dubbed "Change Begins"—was put on in honor of Pride Month.

Koenig asked those in attendance how many had drafted living wills, powers of attorney and other legal documents to ensure that their assets and health care wishes could be administered by the person of their choice should they become incapacitated. With only a few in the audience raising their hands, Koenig stressed the need for same-sex couples to draft those documents because gays and lesbians lack the legal protections of marriage in the state of Illinois.

"Married couples have the benefit of the law on their side," Koenig said. "It is very important for LGBT couples who expect that their same-sex partner will be able to make plans for them [ to draft these documents ] because the state of Illinois does not recognize those relationships." Koenig also put to rest the idea that domestic partnerships—like those offered by Cook County—offer solid legal protection: "A lot of people think that they can gain protection from a domestic partnership. That's nice and symbolic, but all it means is that for health care purposes an insurance company will offer benefits to your domestic partner."

Koenig noted that a power of attorney is necessary to allow one's partner to make health care decisions on your behalf and that a living will is necessary so that one's assets can be passed to the appropriate person. To underscore his point, Koenig made mention of the state's health care surrogacy law, which lists the priority in which a person will be named to act on your behalf should you be unable to make decisions for yourself. Seventh on the list is a "close friend of the patient," which is where most judges in Cook County, Koenig said, will recognize a same-sex partner. "But it's way down on the list," Koenig said, adding, "And it only comes should all of the family members who are ahead of you fail to act."

Paul Oostenbrug, who attended the event, called Koenig's remarks useful: "I did find it very helpful because I am one of the older people in the room and would like to know that I have plans in place should anything happen between me and my partner." After hearing Koenig speak, Oostenbrug also changed his mind about the importance of marriage equality. "I used to think that it wouldn't bring much in the way of power," he said. "But now I'll take it more seriously."


This article shared 2207 times since Wed Jun 30, 2010
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor talks theater, comics, queerness 2024-03-26
- City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2024-25 season—which will be the company's 44th. It will also be the first season to be programmed under the leadership of Brian Pastor (they/them), who will assume ...


Gay News

Brown Elephant Returns To Northalsted 2024-03-26
- Brown Elephant's Lake View location is moving to Northalsted and already accepting donations. Howard Brown Health, the largest LGBTQ+ health center in the midwest, operates three Brown Elephant resale shops in the Chicagoland area to help ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted's signature Human First Gala to return 2024-03-11
--From a press release - CHICAGO, IL — Center on Halsted's signature Human First Gala will be held on Saturday, April 20 at The Geraghty. The gala brings together LGBTQ+ community members and allies for an evening of celebration to recognize ...


Gay News

SAVOR At Willies 'n Waffles, sexuality is on the menu 2024-02-12
- Having written about Chicago's culinary scene for at least 15 years, this writer has covered all sorts of spots—from Michelin-starred upscale establishments to those so-called "holes in the wall" that can serve some of the best ...


Gay News

Chicagoans indulge in a World of Chocolate 2024-02-11
- AIDS Foundation of Chicago hosted its 2024 World of Chocolate celebration the evening of Feb. 9 at Union Station. Top chocolatiers from across the city allowed guests to sample numerous confections, hors d'oevres and libations for ...


Gay News

TAWANI Foundation commits $25K to StartOut, supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship 2024-02-08
--From a press release - CHICAGO — February 8, 2024 — The TAWANI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights ...


Gay News

The Jeff Awards announces the 50th-anniversary non-Equity theater nominations 2024-02-06
--From a press release - (Feb. 6, 2024 - Chicago) — Celebrating its 50th anniversary awarding recognition for Non-Equity theater, the Joseph Jefferson Awards announces its nominations for theater excellence among Non-Equity theater during the ...


Gay News

Comcast NBCUniversal partners with News is Out, Word In Black on fellowship program highlighting Black, LGBTQ+ issues 2024-02-06
--From a press release - Digital Equity Local Voices Lab Fellows to be placed at 16 local publications to receive training and create content Philadelphia (Feb. 6, 2024) — News is Out [ https://newsisout.com ] , a queer media collaborative of ...


Gay News

Mr. Chicago Leather contest returns to Touche following 2022 controversy 2024-02-01
- The Mr. Chicago Leather contest returned this past weekend, January 26-28, to Touché Chicago, over a year after numerous community members were incensed by a racist incident. But the bartender who quit Touché following the incident ...


Gay News

Looking back at Chicago LGBTQ+ community's stand against Anheuser-Busch 2024-01-30
- As conservatives across the country boycotted Anheuser-Busch products for Bud Light's partnership with trans woman Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, LGBTQ+ bars in Chicago removed their products for a different reason. Following the deeply negative response to ...


Gay News

WORLD Toronto businesses, French law, Thai bills, fight in Jamaica, Jonathan Bailey 2023-12-22
- Some Toronto LGBTQ+ business owners say they are worried that they're being shut out of a provincial grant program because their businesses sometimes include sexual products or services, which are banned in the program's eligibility rules, ...


Gay News

Openly gay OpenAI CEO back in charge of company 2023-11-22
- On Nov. 21, OpenAI said it had reinstated Sam Altman as its chief executive—the latest chapter in a saga that involved a boardroom coup and staff backlash. The company, which is behind ChatGPT, also said it ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Bishop removed, business news, Jezebel shutting down, MAP head 2023-11-17
- Pope Francis removed the bishop of Tyler, Texas—a conservative prelate active on social media who has been a fierce critic of the pontiff, PBS reported. A one-line statement from the Vatican said the pope had "relieved" ...


Gay News

Howard Brown Health Workers United members gather for post-strike rally 2023-11-16
- Howard Brown Health (HBH) Workers United members held an evening post-Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) strike rally Nov. 15 in front of the new multi-story HBH Halsted clinic. It was the conclusion of their two-day strike that ...


Gay News

Longtime Edgewater framing business owner contemplates what's next 2023-11-06
- The large spit stains were still crusty and dry on Wall to Wall Framing's window on Saturday. They're evidence that remains more than two weeks after the incident that brought attention to the custom-frame shop's years-long ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.