Concepcion (Connie) and Coco met when they were teenagers. Forty years later, they are still together. On their 20th anniversary and again on their 30th, they held a “Holy Union” at their church, and their marriage is recognized and embraced by the faith community they call home. Now, their 40th anniversary looms and, along with their plans to renew their vows in another Holy Union, they would like to see the federal government grant them the equal Social Security benefits that are worthy of their decades-long commitment to one another.

Coco and Connie are married in every sense of the word, and their commitment to family runs deep. With their marriage, they have not only created their own small family, but they in turn provide a secure safety net to members of their extended family. Currently, they take care of Connie’s mother, along with other relatives. They provide security for their loved ones. All the while, they are paying into a system of Social Security that offers them NO security at all - simply because they are a lesbian couple.

“This is purely discrimination!”observes a frustrated Coco. “To think that after 39 years of paying into Social Security that if something happens to me, it’s not going to go to Concepcion, that’s a pain in the stomach,” she continues.

Coco’concerns about their future are real. More than a decade ago Connie was diagnosed with a chronic illness, which makes it impossible for her to continue to work full time. Now, Coco is the sole family breadwinner - she works as a manager in a law firm and works two additional part-time jobs to make ends meet and to provide for Connie.

Coco and Connie have a strong relationship, they contribute to their community, they are active in their church, they work hard and they take care of each other and the members of their family, but the federal government does not support their relationship or their contributions. Moreover, the federal government demands that they contribute to a Social Security system that actively and blatantly denies them access to the very contributions they’ve made.

Coco and Concepcion don’t want a hand-out, or special treatment. They only want the benefit of a safety net that other Americans take for granted. Coco and Connie want YOU to join them and Rock for Equality so together we can end Social Security discrimination.

Click here to sponsor Coco.