Out In TheMountians : News - The Rest of Our World

WashingtonDC– Constitutional law scholars at the Cato Institute are todayfiling an Amicus Curiae (“Friend of the Court”) brief for theUnited States Supreme Court’s consideration in Lawrence v. TheState of Texas, to be argued later this term.
      The Lawrence case raises the questionwhether Texas’s Homosexual Conduct Law – which criminalizesconsensual same-sex sodomy, even when conducted in the privacy ofone’s home – violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S.Constitution.
      “By singlingout only homosexual sodomy,” said Roger Pilon, Cato’s vicepresident for legal affairs, “the Texas law is in clear violationof the Equal Protection Clause. But our brief goes further in asking theCourt to overturn Bowers v. Hardwick, the 1986 decision that upheld,under the Due Process Clause, a Georgia statute that criminalizedhomosexual conduct. That decision is flatly inconsistent with theCourt’s due process decision a decade later in Romer v.Evans.”
      As analternative, Cato’s brief also asks the Court to revisit thelong-ignored Privileges or Immunities Clause, which was meant by theframers of the 14th Amendment to be the principal safeguard for libertyagainst state actions. “The time has come,” said Pilon,“to revive the first principles of the 14th Amendment.”

Gay & Lesbian Soldiers Deployed

WashingtonDC– Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) issued a fact sheetlast month for lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel who may beaffected by recent deployments to the Middle East. The memo is availableas a pdf file online at www.sldn.org.
      “A conflict with Iraq would mean the largestdeployment of military personnel since the implementation of Don’tAsk, Don’t Tell,” said Sharra E. Greer, SLDN’s LegalDirector. The memo provides “guidance to lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender military personnel, including reservists, who may beunfamiliar with the how the law is implemented during times ofdeployment.”
      The memo coverstopics such as stop-loss orders (suspending discharges), power ofattorney, making a will, and notifying domestic partners in case of anaccident or death while a service member is deployed abroad. The memoalso includes information on relaying messages from domestic partnersthrough the American Red Cross.
     “It is important to remember that Don’t Ask,Don’t Tell remains in full effect, even during a deployment,”Greer said.

VA Legislator Says Gays Can’t BeJudges

New York – A Virginia state legislator whooversees a committee responsible for reappointing judges across thestate says he opposes reappointing a local judge to a second term if sheis a lesbian and is violating the state’s sodomy law.
      “There is certain homosexual conduct that isin violation of the law,” said Robert F. McDonnell, a Republicanmember of Virginias House of Delegates and chairman of the legislaturesHouse Courts of Justice Committee. “It certainly raises somequestions about the qualifications to serve as a judge.”
      Virginia’s sodomy lawcriminalizes oral and anal sex between straight and gay couples –including private, consensual intimacy between adults – but isalmost exclusively used to discriminate against lesbians and gay men.McDonnell was referring to Newport News Circuit Judge Verbena Askew, whowas facing a reappointment hearing.
     Askew is one of 60 judges statewide up for reappointment thisyear, but she is the only one facing a challenge in the legislature.Askew is the first female African-American circuit judge in Virginiahistory.

Gill Awards a Million

Denver –The Gill Foundation, a $260 million-endowed organization committed tosecuring equal opportunity for all people, regardless of sexualorientation or gender identity, recently granted $1,012,500 to 62organizations or programs supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender (LGBT) initiatives and HIV/AIDS programming.
“This most recent group of grant recipientsrepresents a range of perspectives on the Gill Foundation’s missionto eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation,” said RickJung, senior program officer for the Gill Foundation, in a pressrelease. “These organizations do wonderful work to strengthen theLGBT community, and we applaud their successes.”
Among the grantees in the “non-urban”category is the New England Network for Child, Youth and Family Servicesof Charlotte, VT, awarded $15,000. Another fortunate recipient of a$15,000 grant is Outright of Portland, Maine.

GA SupremeCourt Strikes Down Fornication Law

Atlanta–The Georgia Supreme Court today unanimously struck down thestate’s fornication law, saying that the government may not“reach into the bedroom of a private residence and criminalize theprivate, noncommercial, consensual acts of two persons legally capableof consenting” to sexual activity.
      “Georgia’s seldom andselectively enforced fornication law, that once landed citizens on thechain gang, is essentially a dead letter,” said Gerry Weber, LegalDirector of the ACLU of Georgia, who argued the case before theCourt.
      The Court found thatGeorgia’s constitutional right to privacy protects a 16-year-oldwho was prosecuted for engaging in sexual intercourse with hisgirlfriend in her bedroom. The ACLU of Georgia served as counsel for the16-year-old.
      In 1998, theCourt overturned the state’s sodomy statute. “This decisionsignals how far we’ve come since the state convinced the U.S.Supreme Court in Bowers v. Hardwick to let it prosecute lesbian and gaymen for being intimate in their own homes,” said Matt Coles,Director of the ACLU’s Lesbian and Gay Rights Project.

Maythe Breast Charity Win

Kansas City, MO – GayCoffees, aproduct of cjk inc., is accepting nominations in search of a nationalbreast cancer organization to be the recipient of proceeds from PinkRibbon Roast: Coffee for the Cause. Pink Ribbon Roast will benefit abreast cancer organization, once GayCoffees can find an organizationthat will accept their donation of 40 percent from each sale.
      “The only thing we ask of any charity isthat they allow us to put their logo on a bag of coffee, so people cansee which charity gets their money,” said Kevin Powell, vicepresident of cjk inc. and co-founder of GayCoffees
      GayCoffees will have an online vote from February1 - 28th. The company will then create a special Pink Ribbon-themedlabel with the winning charitys logo on it. The new label will raisefunds for the designated national charity for a minimum of oneyear.
      The Mautner Project is the onlynational organization that has been nominated. If you would like tonominate an organization to receive proceeds from the sale of PinkRibbon Roast, email your nomination to GayCoffees (getjoejava@gaycoffees.com)or send your nomination to May the Breast Charity Win, 207 Westport Rd.,Ste 212C, Kansas City, MO, 64111. The cut off for nominations isFebruary 28th.

Smoke Gets in Our Eyes

Rochester, NY– When asked in a recent survey whether or not theywould prefer smoke-free bars and clubs, 59 percent of adults nationwide,including those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT),said they preferred a smoke-free environment.
According to the survey results released byWiteck-Combs Communications and Harris Interactive®, seven of ten ofGLBT respondents who indicated that they prefer smoke-free bars andclubs said they would be willing to pay more for that environment. Incontrast, only 52% of heterosexual respondents who indicated the samepreference said they would be willing to pay more.
“Lesbians and gays seem willing to put theirmoney where their mouths are when it comes to eliminating smoke in barsand clubs not yet covered by smoke-free laws,” said ColleenDermody, vice president of Witeck-Combs Communications. “The badnews is that 34 percent of gays are still smoking cigarettes.” Only24 percent of heterosexual adults still smoke cigarettes.

WeMust Be There Now!

Funniest press release received lastmonth: “G&L Ceremony Announces the Event of the Year: 1stAnnual Las Vegas Gay Wedding Expo 2003, Las Vegas, NV, March 23rd,2003.
      “G&L CeremonyConsultants is hosting the 1st Annual Las Vegas Gay Wedding Expo atAlexis Park Resort & Spa. Come join us in the excitement of thisspectacular event while visiting the many different vendors and see whatgreat services they have to offer you.
      “A portion of the proceeds will be donatedto the Lambda Defense Legal Fund”
      “Over 30 vendors available to answer youquestions.”
      “FabulousDoor Prizes will be given out from various vendors.”
      “For more information, please visit ourwebsite at www.idowithpride.com or callChris Penland at 702-655-8180. Don’t miss out on the fun andexcitement here in fabulous Las Vegas!”

Ted &Howard at HRC

Los Angeles – Veteran journalist Ted Koppelwill be honored by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) at its annual LosAngeles Gala Dinner at the Century Plaza Hotel on Saturday, February 22,2002. Former Vermont Governor and 2004 presidential candidate HowardDean will give the keynote speech, according to an HRC pressrelease.
      The host of ABCs“Nightline,” Koppel will be honored by HRC with its“Humanitarian Award” for his fair and balanced news coverage.Last year, Koppel hosted a landmark series focusing on the lives of gay,lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their families –“A Matter of Choice?”
      “The more normal aspect of gay life does notget covered,” Koppel said. “Most Americans have a ratherdistorted view of who their homosexual fellow citizens are.” Thepress release quoted Koppel as continuing, “They tend to be muchmore like all of us.”
     Former Gov. Howard Dean was characterized as “a provenally” of HRC and the GLBT community. Dean, the release read,“is well known for his support of Vermont’s civil unions andsupport of other GLBT civil rights issues.”

GLMA ReleasesNew Guidelines

San Francisco – The Gay and Lesbian MedicalAssociation (GLMA) released a set of guidelines for physicians andothers who provide health care to the public. “Creating a SafeClinical Environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, andIntersex Patients,” is the first comprehensive look at the specificsteps providers should take to gain competency in health care deliveryto LGBTI people.
“Serioushealth disparities exist for the LGBTI population,” said GLMAPresident Kenneth A. Haller, Jr., MD. “Many of us delay care, or wereceive inappropriate or inferior care because of real or perceiveddiscrimination based sexual orientation or gender identity.” LGBTIpeople are not getting informed, nonjudgmental treatment, he concluded.
The eight-page GLMA document covers abroad range of issues, including how to create a welcoming officeenvironment, educate staff, conduct culturally sensitive interviews, anddevelop knowledge about the specific health issues that face members ofthe LGBTI community. Free copies of the Guidelines are available onlineat www.glma.org and by calling415-255-4547.

Gay Rights Pioneer Dies

LosAngeles – Morris Kight, 83, a founding father of the modern gayrights movement on the West Coast, died January 19. He was best knownfor helping to organize the West Coast’s first gay pride parade in1970. At the time, Kight was leading a campaign against Dow Chemical andthe napalm it manufactured for use during the Vietnam War.
      Despite death threats, the parade went on.“The first entry was a lesbian on horseback,” Kight told a LATimes reporter not long ago. “Where they got that horse Ihave no idea – then a man with a big 'Homosexuals for Reagan’banner.”
      Kight helpedlaunch the nonprofit Christopher Street West, which sponsors the Prideparade and festival in LA. He also founded the Stonewall DemocraticClub, a gay and lesbian political party, in October 1975. “In thegay and lesbian community,” a former West Hollywood mayor onceobserved, only half joking, “Morris has started so manyorganizations, we sometimes joke that he probably invented sex,chocolate, disco music and almost everything else.”
      Kight helped to found the Gay and LesbianCommunity Service Center of Los Angeles, now known as the L.A. Gay &Lesbian Center, which helped to galvanize California's GLBT community.His work over the years also included protesting a variety of socialissues affecting the GLBT community and crusading in the fight againstHIV/AIDS.

Two Cities Protect TransRights

Washington DC– Key West last month became thefirst jurisdiction in Florida to enact legislation protecting the humanrights of transgender and intersexed people. By a unanimous vote, theKey West City Council amended the city’s Human Rights to include'gender identity or expression.’
      At about the same time, the Springfield, IL citycouncil passed a similar ordinance covering both sexual orientation andgender identity. The Springfield vote was 8-1 in favor of the ordinance,with one abstention.
      The ordinance inKey West protects people from discrimination in employment, housing,public accommodations, and lending. It is the most inclusive civilrights legislation in the state.
      The measure in Springfield includes genderidentity under the definition of sexual orientation as “having orbeing perceived as having a self-image or identity not traditionallyassociated with one’s biological maleness orfemaleness.”
      NationalTransgender Advocacy Coalition Chair Vanessa Edwards Foster, who alsoworked on the first transgender-inclusive legislation in Texas, crowed,“Enactment of the first trans-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinancein another conservative southern state – another of those initialtoeholds – is indescribably gratifying. Especially in Bushcountry!”
      Key West andSpringfield become the 55th and 56th jurisdictions in the United Statesto enact transgender-inclusive nondiscrimination laws.

First US Baby of 2003 Has Two Mommies

Fairfax County,VA – In its “News Quirks” section, local weekly SevenDays published an item reporting on the official first baby born inthe US for this year. The baby girl (5 lbs., 2 oz.) was born at 12:01a.m. January 1, 2003 in Virginia to Helen Rubin (33) and Joanna Bates(35). The father was identified only as a family friend.

Gay College Student Runs for Mayor in FL

Tallahassee, FL– Richard Junnier, 22, an honors student at FloridaState
University, will have his name appear on the ballot to beTallahassee’s next mayor.
Consideredby many local leaders, including Tallahassee NOW President LindaMiklowitz, to be the progressive community’s candidate, Junnier isrunning on a platform to revitalize neglected neighborhoods, lower theviolent crime rate, and support environmentally sensitivebusinesses.
At age 22,Junnier is believed to be the youngest openly gay politician in theUnited States, and is the first openly gay candidate in the northFlorida region.

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