Annie Leibovitz is in a jam

Oh wow. I'm a big fan of Ms. Liebovitz and this is so upsetting!  I recently read her autobio "At Work," and Susan was mentioned throughout-- dense of me not to realize they're partners!

What a great/awful illustration of how current laws don't provide equal treatment to same-sex couples.  "I wonder how many of these “tough” commentators would feel if they suddenly had to pay half of the value of their homes to the government in order to keep on living there."  ---- What a great point!

Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention!

 

"Yes, well, their poster-child doesn't know it yet, but she's into me." - Lucy Diamond

 

for her. I wish things could just be right within our community! I am a big fan, and know she must of loved Susan so much, to bad she has to grieve from the grave! Also sad that people have to criticise Annie for the way she lives. Isn't it enough she lost the LOVE of her life, she doesn't need to hear comments like those. I wish her peace!

not sure about the legality of this in the states, but couldn't her partner have sold her the complete estate for a $1 shortly before she died? thereby circumventing these issues?

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The entire logic behind a capitalist economy is that you earn what you get. Following that reasoning, she's rich because she earned it. I can see how that's questionable reasoning with so many fat idiotic white men wandering around with pockets buldging, but we're talking about a person who's a) a woman, b) an out sexual minority and c) an artist. Given that, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I'll buy that she deserves the wealth she's been living with.

Regardless of her financial stature, however, I'd find it pretty hard for anyone to argue that this double standard of straight vs. gay fiscal law is justified. It's just another legal reflection of how gay relationships are considered unequal, if not outright "lesser than", to heterosexual relationships in the United States. Even those of us who are savvy enough to prepare legal documents that mimic marital rights (power of attorney, living will, etc.), it's not enough to avoid bullshit such as this. The taxes that you get slapped with, the lack of benefits from employers, the barriers for rights over your own children... you can't get a piece of paper signed that bridges all of those gaps for you. 

But a marriage certificate does.

The laws of a country, generally speaking, reflect the morality of its citizens. The homos have been recognized in many US laws, most colourfully perhaps in the Texas legislature, most often as deviants or, literally, felons. Over the past 20 years I've gradually seen US law make mention of homosexuality in more positive ways (not that they had to do much to be 'more positive' than arrest warrants). That's both refreshing and encouraging. Not only for the legal practicalities, but to see the way your country views your existance shift from seething hatred to grudging acknowledgement gives me a happy. Yay for that. 

I hope the momentum keeps going and the pendulum swings & whacks the bible belt in the balls.  I do believe I will see nationalized gay marriage in the US within my lifetime. A bit late for Annie Leibovitz, unfortunately, but I'm guessing even she would agree it's better late than never. 

www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com

THis is awful. Just awful. I had no idea that value of non-heteosexual unmarried or unrecognized couple could be that high. Absurd. This is why more and more in the news you will here about different states taking up the marriage. It's not going anywhere. Surely, more and more states will legalize same-gender relationships. I believe in Karma.

    I'll pray that all those so call "friends" will help her out. This one depressing news.

Thanks for letting us know.

A line taken from my poem "She" It is SHE who awakens my soul..."

thefemininedivine.blogspot.com

"...but I wonder how many of these “tough” commentators would feel if they suddenly had to pay half of the value of their homes to the government in order to keep on living there."

Well made point.

i absolutely did not think of that; i had heard that her wife/partner passed, but didn't know when and didn't connect it to her supposed financial problems.

truthfully, when i first heard about it, i though it was just an overblown story by the recession-crazed media; a lot fo people use their valuables as collateral when getting a loan, so i supposed that she justy used her work; obviously she's planning on paying it back.

i would think though, that she would rather have sold the properties than to pay 50% just to keep it. 

 

Unfortunately it doesn't automatically happen, but there are ways to legally protect your partner from these inheritance-related financial troubles.  Every one of us in relationships should have the paperwork done by a knowledgeable attorney that knows the law in his/her state.  My partner and I invested the time and money to do this, and we rest assured that the other is protected in the worst case scenario....

I can't believe this, to this day and age people get discriminated against so cruelly! Pure evilness!

Imagine Annie's sorrow, not only has she lost her love, she must now even pay taxes for it .. the law is supposed to serve people not the other way around... EQUAL RIGHTS NOW!!

I wish Annie the best and I hope she will come out of this nasty jam as a winner.

 

// those harper seals are biaaatchesss - Bridget McManus //

 

This is a financial quagmire, that's for sure. I wish her well and hope that she doesn't lose total control over the body of her work.

It has nothing to do with being gay, straight or whatever is in between. It is about the government taking what does not belong to them. Inheritance taxes are also destroying the small farmers who are forced to sell the family farm to pay for the taxes when the elder dies and leaves the farm to the child.

This is a hot topic in the photo world, check it out;

http://photo.net/casual-conversations-forum/00Scjg

It doesn't matter who she is, what she does (as amazingly well as she does it), or what was left to her.  It's just absurd that although the relationship was recognized and even documented via a legal will, it is not legally recognized, so different tax/inheritance laws apply.  It defeats the purpose and invalidates the relationship of partners.  It's being reduced to a secondary legal status when the base relationship of partners vs. married couple is the same. There shouldn't be a difference.  While there are ways for same sex couples to protect themselves and their finances, there is still less legal ground to stand on should an issue ever arise or if any will or bequeathment were to be contested.