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Gay Atwater Village Man Who Was Denied Social Security Benefits Continues to Get News Coverage
The issue of social security inequality (and in general, the lack of federal recognition of gay partners) for domestic partnerships is getting some more attention. Occasional LAist contributor Shawn Nee produced a video featuring Atwater Village resident Bill Bowersock and his story of being rejected by the feds over survivor benefits. Since last week it has spread to the New Yorker, the Atlantic and most recently on NBC's The Filter with Fred Roggins, who had Bowersock on as a guest Wednesday evening.
"Social security is a wonderful thing," Bowersock told Roggins. "They look at married couples as teams and whatever one person made was made with the aid and support of the other, but they just don't look at us as a team -- we're just guys."
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