Gay Couple Turned Away From Glen Ridge Country Club

        Picture of Glen Ridge Country Club - taken by Mia Song/The Star Ledger

Michael Norton a Glen Ridge, New Jersey, resident saw an advertisement for new members at the Glen Ridge Country Club in the community newspaper. 

Mr. Norton commented that he wanted a pool to "keep cool this summer", and felt this would be a great club for him and his partner to join.

Norton stated that when he asked a club administrator, "if a membership would include his domestic partner" the same way the club allows married members to include their spouses on their memberships, the club administrator gave him the cold shoulder.  

"It was unbelievable. I thought I was kicked in the stomach," said Norton, 58, of Bloomfield, New Jersey.

Barry Schrager, president of the country club's nine member board said that Norton and his partner Stewart D. Grossman, 62, were "victims of an unfortunate misunderstanding that stemmed from the employee's error in stating the club's membership policy. The club abides by state law which recognizes same-sex couples as civil unions and domestic partners", he said.

Norton and his partner decided not to pursue a membership, and instead the two men are preparing to file suit against the one hundred and fifteen year old club with the N.J. Division of Civil Rights. The couple expressed that the problem is bigger than just one country club's gatekeeper. Their situation could have been avoided if state laws would allow them to say they are married

"The equality is in the word," Grossman said. "If  you tell people you're married, people know what that means." 

Stephen Hyland, a Westwood family law attorney with many gay and lesbian clients commented that the Glen Ridge County Club incident could be attributed to the legal prohibition of the word "marriage" with regard to same-sex couples. "If this couple had been able to marry, then there would not have been any need to explain anything further," Hyland said.

Norton e-mailed Amy Sikkerboll the club's controller on March 23rd, asking about membership fees for the club's house and pool. Sikkerboll responded with an e-mail stating "Memberships include spouses but not significant others."

Schrager the club's board president, released a statement saying the club's policy is to consider all applicants without reference to race, religion or gender. He added that the club recognized all couples sanctioned by state law, including domestic partnerships and civil unions. 

Schrager, also expressed that the Glen Ridge Country Club changed its membership policy more than a decade ago to include women. 

Steven Goldstein, executive director of Garden State Equality stated that Norton and Grossman's experience at the country club was not unique, and that the organization has received thousands of complaints about discrimination against domestic partners stating,"This case is Exhibit A of why we at Garden State Equality are calling  for marriage equality," Goldstein said. 

"This should be a wake up call to everyone of the 120 state legislators. Wake up and smell the inequality that single sex couples endure."  

2009 LA