Laurel Hester, the lesbian police lieutenant who changed pension rules in her town and the state, passed away over the weekend:
A New Jersey police lieutenant who last month won a long campaign to pass on pension benefits to her domestic partner died on Saturday.We can never forget that homophobic policies affect real people. The gay haters work every day to hurt their fellow Americans who work hard and pay their taxes. It's just wrong.
The lieutenant, Laurel Hester, 49, had lung cancer, and her battle with the disease lent her cause a profound urgency as the Ocean County freeholders repeatedly refused to consider a resolution allowing county law enforcement employees to designate someone other than a spouse as a pension beneficiary.
The freeholders reversed their position on Jan. 25 after negotiations led to a statewide change in the rules, allowing police and fire department employees to name anyone, not just a spouse, as a beneficiary.
Laurel Hester created a legacy that will benefit gays and lesbians throughout New Jersey. She didn't give up. And she won.
