Duke University and the YMCA Differ on the Meaning of a Family
The Y agreed to give discounts to members of "families"-a word which people interpret differently.
June 7, 2004
Duke University and the YMCA Differ on the Meaning of a Family
Duke University and the area YMCA are at odds about whether same-sex couples
constitute a family, according to The Herald-Sun, which serves the
"research triangle" part of North Carolina.
The Y agreed back in
September 2003 to give Duke employees a family discount for a fitness
membership. This means that for a couple to join the Y, it would cost about $35
less than if the two parties joined individually.
Duke's human
resources department extends benefits to same-sex partners of its employees.
According to The Chronicle, a Duke newspaper, Duke's assistant vice
president for human resources, Mindy Kornberg, wrote to the YMCA in March saying
that "at Duke, dependents include those registered as same-sex spousal
equivalents."
These dependents, according to Kornberg, should receive family discounts.
The Y, however, defines a family as a traditional opposite-sex couple. The
mission of the organization, founded in 1844, is "to put Christian
principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and
body for all."
The two organizations have been discussing the issue without reaching a
resolution, and will try again to to reach an agreement on the issue at a June
14 meeting.
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