Yesterday, I had a kick-ass day at work. I've had a couple of off days this week, but yesterday, my call time was awesome and I had just a beautiful call where I trucked through a FAFSA and a funding plan in about 30 minutes flat. Care and privacy concerns forbid me from revealing to much about the specifics of my job, needless to say, I provide financial aid services for Kaplan University Online- helping prospective student with their FAFSAs and explaining their funding plans to them.
My supervisor, however, came around yesterday and informed us that with regards to the FAFSA, marital status is contingent on the couple being a man and a woman- given that gay marriage is about to start officially in Iowa, he just wanted to give us a heads up.
I don't know why it caught me off guard. I honestly hadn't thought of that and DoMA is still on the books- but it's just another example of what you don't think about when it comes to this issue... God knows what I'm going to say if that comes up on the phone, explaining to a newly married couple that for the purposes of student aid, they're not in fact married at all, because of their gender.
I take some comfort from the fact that the seeds have been sown, however. Inch by inch precedent is gaining and building- and I think DoMA, if challenged up to the Supreme Court, will be overturned. It's just a matter of time...
But if anyone out there is filling out a FAFSA, be warned... if you're not in a heterosexual marriage, they don't consider you married at all.
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