There's one gay couple in the state of Indiana whose marriage is recognized by the state: Niki Quasney and Amy Sandler. Even after a court carved out a special protection for them in putting a hold on same-sex marriages in Indiana, they're still challenging the state's marriage ban precisely because of the
reason their marriage is recognized. Quasney is dying, and the couple wants to be able to make the big medical decisions as her cancer progresse—together. A federal court will hear appeals to a previous court's overturning of Indiana's and Wisconsin's marriage bans Tuesday, and health care will loom large in the courtroom. Here's a Wisconsin couple's story.
Judi Trampf said that became clear when her partner of 25 years, Katy Heyning, suffered a seizure in New Orleans several years ago. The Madison, Wisconsin, couple had health care powers-of-attorney allowing each other to make medical decisions for the other, but that paperwork was at home.
Trampf told hospital workers Heyning was her domestic partner, but she said they refused to allow her to make any decisions without the documents. When Trampf tried to answer questions for Heyning, who was having trouble responding after regaining consciousness, the hospital staff ignored her.
"That's when I realized I really didn't have any rights in the situation," Trampf said in a recent telephone interview. "Heterosexual couples don't have to pull out anything."
For the Indiana couple, that right is absolutely everything, and they argue that it's not sensical, that the courts ordered
their marriage to be recognized while no other couple's can be. It gets to the most basic reason for everyone to have equal marriage rights—sharing a life together includes "in sickness and in health," and the sickness part is where a couple needs one another the most. The court recognized that for Quasney and Sandler. It has no choice but to recognize it for everyone.