Documentary on NJ cop
gets Oscar nod
BY GEOFF MULVIHILL,
AP from the Web, January 22, 2008
A film about a dying New Jersey
lesbian police officer's struggle for benefits for her partner was nominated
Tuesday for an Academy Award.
"Freeheld: The Laurel Hester Story" is up in the best documentary short
subject category.
While that category isn't one of the higher-profile ones, getting the nomination
was a goal for Hester, who died of lung cancer nearly two years ago.
Hester's story became a major cause for gay rights activists in New Jersey in
2005. Though the state at the time was one of a handful to offer domestic
partnerships for gay couples, county governments did not have to offer benefits
to the partners of their gay employees.
Hester, a detective with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, was trying to
make sure that Ocean County would give her partner, Stacie Andree, a $13,000
death benefit when Hester died.
Before Hester died, the county's governing body -- the Board of Chosen
Freeholders -- agreed to extend the benefits.
Filmmaker Cynthia Wade has said that she promised Hester she would submit the
38-minute film to the Academy as a way to raise awareness of gay rights issues.
On her Web site, Wade recently posted an interview with Hester taken about six
weeks before she died. "I think this film is one of the most important
things that's ever happened to me," Hester said.
She said she hoped it would inspire others to deal with homosexuality and
discrimination.
The film has received widespread attention, winning about a dozen awards
already, including a special jury award at last year's Sundance Film Festival.
New Jersey has been in the forefront on key gay rights issues in recent years.
In 2004, the state became among the first to offer domestic partnership benefits
to same-sex couples.
In December 2006, lawmakers in Trenton, under pressure from the state Supreme
Court, made New Jersey the third state to offer civil unions -- which offer gay
couples all the benefits of marriage, but not the title. Couples have been
allowed to enter into the unions since Feb. 22, 2007.
Advocacy groups say they will lobby the Legislature this year to allow gay
couples to marry. In the United States, only Massachusetts now allows gay
marriage.
(Abridged)
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