[Modernman]

Thus, even though I may have shacked up with a chick and consider her a life partner unless I am 'married' I don't get to claim her as a dependent and thus I can not get all the goodies that a 'same gender' partner would

Your company only grants those rights to homosexuals since they do not have the right to get married. If they could get married, then the rule would change to cover all married couples and exclude all unmarried couples, regardless of the innie/outie combinations involved.

[longtermmemmory]

You are not quite correct, why kind of dependent insurance, income tax? If the person is your true financial dependent or just the one who earns less money.