There's a part of our lives, a fantastic thing about my partner that I'm excited to share with the blogosphere... or, at least, our tiny little part of it.

Wayne started this new job recently with this pretty great company called GeekNet. He's been very excited to work with people that he respects on projects that he is excited about and to learn new things. As many of you know, him getting a new job is interesting territory for us. We aren't married, and that's a choice that we will continue to make for as long as marriage is a choice some people don't have, and he insures me. Up until this point that's been a conversation he has had to have, and that's all. Usually, in his line of work, you can have many things added to your contract and made into law without tons of institutional change. In this particular case Wayne was able to have that honest conversation before hiring and was assured that things would be fine.

We found out later that GeekNet, while being an amazingly inclusive company and far ahead of it's time many ways, only currently insures married couples and same sex domestic partners. We had no options under their plans.

I'm proud of Wayne, and ridiculously supportive of GeekNet because of this...

Within days the amazing Human Resources folks at GeekNet were looking into an opposite sex domestic partner benefits plan. Only one week later they were able to assure us that starting January 1, 2012 they will most likely be able to offer those benefits to us.

It's important that you know that he has only worked there for two full weeks and that neither of us are currently insured under their plan.

This company is a shining example of a corporation that takes care of their employees and that immediately reacts to issues which are important to its stakeholders. They are obviously taking the legal steps necessary to institute the kinds of change that, I hope, will lead to gender neutral definitions for all legal partner benefits. I am so so so so so ridiculously proud of Wayne for having these conversations and for GeekNet for stepping up in a big way.

Can we all just please have one slow golf clap for GeekNet?

♥ Jessa