DHTiSH Person of The Year: Edie Windsor

Its that time of the year when people and organizations recognize the people who they should give the accolade of Person of the Year to.

My award for the DHTiSH Person of the Year goes to Edie Windsor, because Edie refused to be teated as second best, and she stood her ground.   Moreover, Edie is not a person who challenged the Federal system because she wanted to make a name for herself.

She did it because it was right thing to do.

Because of Edie, every Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans American citizen in a same sex relationship now has equal protection under the Federal Laws of the United States.

She didn't win our Freedom - there are plenty of states that need to be brought to justice.

But she made it possible for same sex couples to get the Federal benefits that same sex couples have come to take for granted.  The right to fair tax treatment.  The right to Federal benefits for Federal workers, their spouses and dependents.

We now have, and God forbid any of us get in a position where we may need this, Federal protection in court related actions where our spouses are concerned.  Prior to Windsor, people in same sex relationships could be compelled to testify against our spouses.  Because of Edie we enjoy the same protection as straight couples.

There are other benefits, but most importantly the victory in Windsor says to the rest of the United States that we have the rights to the things that they have.

That this happened in our lifetime is amazing.

And because of that, Edie Windsor is the DHTiSH Person of the Year.