Looking back, 2004 seems so, well, 2004 — a year when anti-gay bigotry was exploited to help re-elect an incumbent president.
Six years later, same-sex marriage is legal in a handful of states and the District of Columbia. President Barack Obama and top military officials want to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military.
And last week, Western Kentucky University became the fourth public university in the state to offer health benefits to the domestic partners of its employees. They'll be eligible for coverage next year.
Like their counterparts at the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Northern Kentucky University, WKU officials no doubt know that remaining competitive in today's world requires you to offer benefits comparable to what a prospective employee can find at a similar institution of higher learning or in the private sector.
To read the complete editorial, visit www.kentucky.com.