Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham to Offer Partner Benefits

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

October 22 2009 2:15 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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The University of Alabama at Birmingham is getting ready to offer health insurance benefits to same-sex partners of its faculty and staff.

The benefits are slated to begin January 1 and will make the UAB the first of Alabama's big three universities to offer such a benefit. Neither the University of Alabama nor Auburn University offers domestic-partner benefits, though according to AL.com, UA is considering the issue.

UAB's decision to offer benefits comes from a desire to be competitive in attracting talent to its campus. Dale Turbough, a UAB spokeswoman, told the website that the change was made "to create a positive, supportive, and diverse work environment."

Coincidentally, the benefits come just months after the release of One Closed Door After Another, a documentary by a UAB film student that looked at how the lack of same-sex partner benefits at the university was discouraging top talent.