Carolyn O'Laughlin is battling discrimination by MSU and the former Mason Hall assistant director is to be commended for not going quietly.

O'Laughlin has been facing university discrimination because she is in a same-sex relationship with French graduate student Rebecca Linz. The two students, who have a formalized union, have been together for more than a year and are at the brunt of a battle over the lack of same-sex benefits at MSU.

Assistant resident hall directors are required to live in the halls in which they work, but partners in same-sex relationships are not allowed to live together or receive the same benefits as heterosexual married university employees.

"I never thought I'd be discriminated against for being a lesbian," Linz said. "This whole process has been really difficult and stressful."

The university issued a warning in November which stated O'Laughlin would lose her job if her partner did not move out.

O'Laughlin answered the warning by resigning from her position in the Department of Residence Life on Monday.

Showing her distaste for the current system in place for all graduate student same-sex partners, she has become a strong voice, standing up to a set of outdated and ridiculous rules.

The state of Michigan and MSU need to step into the 21st century by recognizing same-sex partners and giving the graduate student couples equal benefits and signs of acceptance as any heterosexual couple or same-sex faculty partners.

The university hasn't fully recognized same-sex partnership and needs to not set up limits to the way people with any sexual preference will be treated. It should not just stop at faculty, but also extend to the student community at MSU.

Because O'Laughlin believes so strongly in what she is doing to sacrifice her job and home, she should earn the respect of any person who believes in equality.