Open military service by gay people seems likely to be another victim of last week’s election. There’s little chance time enough remains in the lame duck Congress to repeal the prohibition. It was always a lie that Republicans wanted a survey of troops before acting. They just wanted to stall. The survey has been done. The troops are fine with the change. The older commanders — mirroring the age gap that exists on the issue — are less enthusiastic. Republicans remain beholden to the Religious Right, in which this discrimination is deeply embedded. Too bad. Time, I still believe, will eventually dissolve the calcified fear and bias against equality.
Meanwhile, married same-sex couples will increasingly turn to the courts to combat discrimination against them in the law, such as the inability to qualify for insurance benefits given other married couples.