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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Suze Orman's Valentine’s Day wish is a call to action

Famed female-loving financial guru Suze Orman had only one Valentine’s Day wish: The legalization of gay marriage. Yeah, me, too, Suze.

I’ve always liked Suze Orman. Unlike most of the financial talking heads, she dishes out advice in style that actually makes me listen, understand, and sometimes, laugh. Most TV financial advisors make me feel like a dumb teenager who steals their parents’ credit card to buy Britney tickets. (Dumb for stealing the credit card, not dumb for wanting to see Britney.)

Suze Orman dishes out advice like your cool aunt who comes over for dinner, sneaks away for cigarette breaks, and tells you that you were a schmuck for stealing your parents’ credit card. Then, in between reprimanding puffs, she tells you that she knows where you can buy the tickets for a third of the asking price and offers to go with you to the concert if you pay for the gas.

In 2007, Orman became even more of a bad ass in my book, when she came out of the closet and announced that she was in a long term relationship with one of the co-producers of her show, Kathy Travis.

Like many gay Americans, wishes to marry her partner but in true Suze fashion, she wants to do it for her heart and her wallet. Last year, shhe told the New York Times:

Both of us have millions of dollars in our name … It's killing me that upon my death, K.T. is going to lose 50 percent of everything I have to estate taxes. Or vice versa.

And on her show this weekend, she followed-up her statements by speaking out against the passing of Prop. 8, saying:

It is such a travesty that a few months ago Proposition 8 in California passed. Prop 2 in Florida passed. What is that about, everybody? We are taking away a birth right, if you ask me, for people to get the most out of their money that they have spent most of the lives making ... Every single one of us deserves to have the same financial benefits whether we are gay or whether we are straight. Therefore we have got to do everything we can to turn that around. Every single one of us deserves to love, every single one of us deserves to be loved, and every single one of us deserves to be able to make the most out of what we have. That's my Valentine's wish for every single one of us.

Leave it to Suze Orman to show that you can indeed put a price on love. Let’s hope that this time next year, Suze, your Valentine’s Day wish comes true for you and your bank account.

awesome_possum's picture

Most def.

"Leave it to Suze Orman to show that you can indeed put a price on love. Let’s hope that this time next year, Suze, your Valentine’s Day wish comes true for you and your bank account." Agreed.

Though I never have thought to look at opposition to Prop 8 from an economical point of view.

zephyr's picture

Ms. Moneybags

She hit the nail on the dollar bill.  She also got it right a few months ago about just where the stockmarket would hover.
monica_ca's picture

Economics of marriage

I'm really not a huge Orman fan, but I'm glad that she's spoken up about this, and specifically that she's mentioned the economics behind it.  Same-sex couples really are at a huge disadvantage financially because they cannot marry.
VeeMachi's picture

You actually got she quote

You actually got she quote wrong, it's "...to make the most out of the money we have."
wintergreen's picture

Well said, Suze

I find this kind of commentary a very positive thing, as it offers reasoning for gay marriage/civil unions that is legal/financial rather than ideological.  Of course, the ideology is important!  But it's easier to disagree with something "in principle" than with concrete, sensible reasons such as those espoused by Suze.

GeoNorth's picture

Senator Orman

Seriously, Paterson should have appointed Suze to Hillary's old spot in the Senate.

We need her smarts, humor, and charisma working for our country.

Lawyerlove's picture

Good for government

It will be a very good decision to over turn Prop 8 for us that are involved but, much of the reason it is being lobbied against is not just religious adversaries but the businesses and medical establishments that don't want to shell out for the spouses. Suze should be listened or watched by every woman. We need to learn more financial responsibility.

LAWYERLOVE

Susan Gabriel's picture

Guts and a Platform

I love that she has the guts and a platform to speak out about it! Amen, Sister!

 

www.SeekingSaraSummers.com