Out In The Mountians : News - The Rest of Our World

Denver Protects Trans Students

Denver – The Denver public school system recently amended their policy, stating that transgender and gender non-conforming students will be protected under policies unanimously adopted by the school board at its January meeting. As announced by the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition, the school board voted to add the term "gender identity" to other categories protected under the policy that declares "Equal Educational Opportunities" for students.
       "We were able to convince the school board that since the Denver City Council had passed an ordinance that included transgender people in anti-discrimination policies in 2001, transgender students should not... lose that protection once they walk through the doors of their schools," said local transgender activist Zia Klamm.       "Transgender student safety in schools is a critical problem across the nation – one that virtually no district in the country will recognize, much less address," said Vanessa Edwards Foster, the chair of the NTAC. "Far too often, students whose gender doesn't conform are mercilessly harassed, threatened and assaulted, resulting in a pandemic drop-out rate among transgenders.

Utah Theaters Dump Gay Film

Park City, Utah – After reportedly receiving threats of intimidation from conservative religious groups, Madstone Theaters has cancelled its Salt Lake City engagement of TLA Releasing's newest film, Latter Days, which tells the story of a young closeted Mormon who falls in love with another man while serving his missionary assignment in Los Angeles.
       "We are extremely upset that Latter Days currently has no venue to premiere in Salt Lake City," says Raymond Murray, President of TLA Releasing. "Very rarely is a story like this presented in such an entertaining, romantic, funny and poignant manner."
      Madstone's president, Thomas Gruenberg, confirmed the threats in a phone interview but denied that they were the cause of the cancellation. Gruenberg claimed that Latter Days failed to meet the company's standards of "artistic quality and integrity," and that the film failed to tell a story that was sufficiently "compelling." When asked if the decision meant the cancellation of Latter Days at Madstone Theaters across the country, Gruenberg stated that this decision was just for Salt Lake City.
       The film has received six Audience Awards, including honors at Los Angeles' Outfest and the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

Pride Goers Wooed by DNC

Washington, DC – The Democratic National Committee, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus of the College Democrats of America and GLBT youth community leaders joined forces last month to launch "Pride at the Polls." This program is designed to educate, register, and mobilize the GLBT community to help elect a Democratic president and Democrats at all levels.
       The program will be centered on GLBT pride season. Pride festivals, attracting hundreds of thousands of GLBT-receptive voters each year, have proven to be one of the most effective venues to reach GLBT voters.
       The goals of the program are to establish a Democratic Party presence at as many Pride events as is possible, increase the visibility of the GLBT community within the Democratic Party, and give a diverse group of community leaders an opportunity to engage in a process that will help support the election of a Democratic president.

AIDS Vaccine Tested In Germany

Berlin – German scientists announced late last month the beginning of human trial on a new HIV vaccine. Known as tgAAC09, the vaccine targets HIV subtype C, prevalent in South Africa, India and China, and responsible for a large part of the world's HIV infections. The vaccine was developed by Seattle-based Targeted Genetics Corp. and the Columbus Children's Research Institute.
       As reported by 365gay.com, the yearlong test program will involve up to 50 volunteers at clinics in Bonn and Hamburg, and at 2 hospitals. First-phase testing will determine the vaccine's safety and
whether it produces immune responses. If successful, second and third phases of testing would be carried out in developing countries.       The program is backed by the New York-based International AIDS Vaccine Initiative which estimates that some 30 HIV vaccine tests already are under way worldwide.

Gay Rights Down Under

Hobart, Tasmania, Australia – Tasmania has become the first state in Australia to accept same-sex unions, giving gay and lesbian partnerships equal status to married couples under state law. Under the Relationships Act, as of January 2, 2004, Tasmanian residents can legally register their same-sex union with the state's department of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
       The state's progressive laws and positive community attitudes towards same-sex couples has led Tasmania to become a top vacation destination for gay and lesbian travelers.

Help for Gay Military Families

Arlington, VA – The non-profit Military Community Services Network organization, announced its official launch in late January, as the first-ever social support structure for gay troops and their families. Because of the "Don't Ask / Don't Tell" policy, gay soldiers and their partners are denied full access to critical mental health and medical services. MCSN's primary goal is to get LGBT troops the help they need when they are denied services by the military.
      Existing organizations working on the gays-in-the-military issue applauded MCSN's creation and pledged their support.
       Retired Navy Captain and Vietnam Veteran Dr. Michael Rankin applauded the creation of MCSN, stating, "Our gay and lesbian troops are being shot at in Iraq and Afghanistan, while their families back home are being ignored by the Pentagon. Most gay vets are unaware of the current resources available to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. MCSN will help to educate Vets about how they can safely utilize existing resources."

Frank Declines BSA Request

Washington, DC – In late January, Congressman Barney Frank made public his response to a Boy Scouts of America request for Frank's support. Frank expressed his surprise that the organization sought his endorsement, noting that the Boy Scouts have characterized gay men as unfit.
Frank's response stated: "Where there is much about what the Boy Scouts do that I admire and I am a former Scout myself, I was under the impression that you considered people like myself to be unworthy of association with the Boy Scouts. I am a gay man, which according to your policy as I read it in various court decisions, means that I am neither "morally straight" nor "clean." So I will not be agreeing to any of the three drafts you sent me, because it seems to me hypocritical of you to ask me to sign it, and even more hypocritical for me to do so."
The letter to Congressman Frank, from Roy Williams, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, announced a national service initiative called Good Turn for America. "We would be honored if you would lend your support to this important effort." The letter continued, "together, we will continue to positively influence the lives of young people throughout the nation."

Science at Risk

Washington, DC – The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition strongly denounced a White House attempt to change policy regarding federally funded scientific research. In a move seen as another attack on scientific freedom, the Office of Management and Budget is proposing new peer review requirements for all but a few government agencies. This could politicize the proven scientific practice of independent peer review.
       The OMB plan would impose new conflict-of-interest rules for peer review possibly favoring participation by industry-paid scientists over independent scientists who had been awarded government research grants. OMB also proposed that peer reviewers may be politically appointed individuals or parties. This has the potential to make a scientific process vulnerable to manipulation.
      "This heavy-handed intimidation of scientific research is preposterous," fumed NTAC Chair, Vanessa Edwards Foster. NTAC joined with such scientific organizations as the National Academies of Science, the American Public Health Association, and environmental, consumer and public-interest groups in opposing OMB's proposal.

Black LGBT Pride Guide

Washington, DC – The 2004 Black Pride Resource Guide will be launched this month to serve as the ultimate vehicle to reach thousands of African-American LGBT consumers. Each year, approximately 200,000 members of the Black LGBT community converge on Black Pride events in cities throughout the country. Cities such as Washington, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Chicago play host to these annual celebrations of music, arts, literature, and health within this diverse segment of the African American community. Similar events are held in smaller cities including Miami, Boston, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Baltimore. The Guide will serve as the primary source for all Black Gay Pride events throughout the year.
       The publishers expect to distribute 20,000 copies free of charge to a projected readership of 100,000 at night clubs, bookstores, health clubs, community-based organizations, and other locations frequented by members of the Black LGBT community throughout the country.

UN Orientation Debate

New York – The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, along with a global coalition of non-governmental organizations, last month issued a call to LGBT organizations and allies to mobilize in support of the UN Commission on Human Rights Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Human Rights.
       The resolution is the first one in the history of the United Nations that specifically and unambiguously identifies abuses on the basis of sexual orientation as human rights violations. It calls all governments to promote and protect the human rights of people, regardless of their sexual orientation. The IGLHRC called for its allies to join in mobilizing support for the passage of this resolution which will be considered at the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. Key countries targeted by IGLHRC include South Africa, India, Costa Rica and the United States.
      The Brazilian delegation to the Commission introduced this resolution in 2003. After prolonged debate, the Commission voted to postpone further discussion. Beginning March 15, 53 nations will sit in Geneva to publicly declare if they believe that all people should be protected from discrimination, persecution and violence, whatever their sexual orientation.

Federal Budget Slights HIV/AIDS Funding

Washington DC – According to President Bush's fiscal year 2005 budget proposal, HIV/AIDS funding may be $4 million less than it was two years ago, decreasing from $700 million to $696 million. The Human Rights Campaign and the Democratic National Committee expressed extreme concern last month when early details of the budget were released. The budget provides flat funding for nearly every care and treatment program within the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act.
       Funding for the Ryan White CARE Act was increased from $2.02 billion this year to $2.05 billion next year. While most programs will see no increase, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and research at the National Institutes of Health will receive additional funding. The president's proposal doubles the money available for abstinence-only-until-marriage education programs.
      "A CDC report released last summer showed that the rate of HIV diagnoses for gay and bisexual men is rising steeply," said HRC President Cheryl Jacques. "This is no time to cut short our commitment to serious, science-based prevention programs while at the same time funding abstinence-only programs."
       According to Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, "Bush's refusal to fund science-based programs and community-oriented prevention efforts, while pouring millions into abstinence-only programs, shows just how far he is willing to go in order to appease his right-wing base."

Catholic Charities Lose

Portland, Maine – A city ordinance requiring organizations that receive federal grants through the city to offer employees with same-sex partners identical benefits to those offered married workers has been ruled legal. Responding to the challenge by Catholic Charities of Maine, the U.S. District Court last month ruled that the local law is constitutional and does not amount to discrimination against religious groups.
       The ruling upholds the city's right to make domestic partner benefits a condition of receiving housing and community development grants. However, since the Catholic Charities' health plan is covered by a federal law that regulates employee health insurance and pension plans, the court ruled that these benefits cannot be modified by state or local government.
      Catholic Charities will have to supply some domestic partner benefits to its employees to be eligible for city grants.

You Animal!

Central Park Zoo, Manhattan – Roy and Silo are completely devoted to each other. Inseparable for six years, they exhibit "ecstatic behavior." That is, they entwine their necks, they vocalize to each other, they have sex. They turn away female companionship. These male chinstrap penguins are, to anthropomorphize a bit, gay. Or at least so said a New York Times article circulated on the Internet last month.       Roy and Silo were so desperate to incubate an egg that they put a rock in their nest and sat on it. When given a fertile egg to hatch, the two sat on the egg until a chick was born. For ten weeks, they raised Tango, keeping her warm and feeding her until she could go out into the world.
      Two other penguin pairs at different zoos, one female, one male, have also exhibited pair bonding and parenting behavior, according to the report. Gay groups insist that homosexual behavior is part of the natural order, and therefore the rights of homosexuals should be
protected. Conservative religious groups condemn the same behavior, calling it "animalistic."
      The Times quoted Paul L. Vasey, a Canadian professor of psychology and neuroscience who studies homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques. Although scientists have observed this behavior
since the 1700s, Prof. Vasey believes there are few books on the topic because "people don't want to do the research because they don't want to have suspicions raised about their sexuality."

Sash & MCC Clash

Chicago – In dueling press releases, the Rainbow Sash Movement, a group of lgbt Catholics, and the Metropolitan Community Church clashed over tactics for promoting marriage equality for same-sex couples. The Rainbow Sash accused MCC of anti-Catholic bigotry for
supporting a demonstration at the home of Chicago's Cardinal Frances George during last month's Freedom to Marry Week activities.
       "We are deeply concerned, that to best of our knowledge, the local MCC coalition has not outreached to any Gay and Lesbian National/Local parish-based Catholic Organization prior to making a decision that affects the Catholic Gay and Lesbian Community of Chicago," wrote Rainbow Sash spokesman Joe Murray. "According to the MCC Chicago-based coalition George has positioned himself as Illinois' foremost opponent of LGBT rights." Murray added, "By attempting to demonize Cardinal George the organizers could be perceived as playing the anti-Catholic card."
       "As we have advised both the media and LGBT organizations, the press release by the Rainbow Sash Movement concerning MCC's participation in Chicago marriage events is erroneous, untrue, and misleading," according to the MCC's statement, "and is a significant disservice to the press and media, to LGBT causes and to ecumenical work in faith communities." The MCC denied involvement in the Chicago coalition sponsoring the demonstration. Rainbow Sash challenged that statement.

Rights Disappeared

Washington, DC – The federal office with responsibility for protecting government workers from discrimination and retaliation appears to be backing away from its duty to enforce complaints of sexual orientation discrimination, and the leader of the nation's largest independent union of federal workers wants to know why.
      In a letter to Scott Bloch, of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the
president of the National Treasury Employees Union demanded to know if OSC is abdicating its statutory obligation to enforce the law and inform federal workers of their rights.
       Her concerns arose, union president Colleen M. Kelley said, because "in recent days, all references on OSC's web site to its jurisdiction to accept complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation appear to have been removed." It appears that Bloch no longer intends to make federal employees and federal job applicants aware that discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited in the federal government.
      Kelley described OSC's recent actions as "in direct contradiction" to decades of established interpretation of the law, and she demanded that Bloch provide "a statement of your legal basis for taking this position." As the largest independent union of federal employees, NTEU represents some 150,000 workers in 29 agencies and departments.

Shame on Florida

Washington, DC & New York – In nearly simultaneous press releases, HRC, the ACLU, and the Family Pride Coalition condemned last month's ruling by the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Lofton
v. Kearney. The court affirmed Florida's anti-gay adoption law, which
absolutely prohibits gay and lesbian individuals from adopting.
      The ACLU brought the lawsuit on behalf of four gay men who would like to adopt in Florida but are prevented from doing so by the law passed in 1977 in response to Anita Bryant's infamous anti-gay campaign. "If single people can adopt in Florida, if gay people can be foster parents and legal guardians, and if there are thousands of children languishing in foster care, there can be no justification for Florida's ban on gay adoptions other than impermissible prejudice and hostility toward gay people," said Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida.
      "We are living in dangerous times," said Rosie O'Donnell, who is a member and supporter of the Family Pride Coalition. O'Donnell has been a spokesperson against the Florida ban, coming out in a 2002 Primetime Live interview to focus attention on the case.
      Every mainstream child advocacy and mental health organization, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association, is opposed to excluding gay people from adoption. There are more than 3,400 children currently waiting for homes in Florida. Two other states, Mississippi and Utah, also have anti-gay adoption laws.

Alternative Funding

Charlottesville, VA – Last month, DontGiveToUVA.com organizers Andrew Borchini and Andrew Bond contacted University of Virginia President John Casteen, setting a February 14 deadline for Casteen to establish a plan for offering domestic partner benefits to UVa. employees. When President Casteen failed to comply, the two men
announced their website would begin accepting donations.
      Borchini and Bond, 2003 graduates of UVA. created DontGiveToUVA.com to persuade the college to offer same-sex benefits by encouraging website visitors to donate to the DontGiveToUVA.com fund rather than to the University of Virginia. The money DontGiveToUVA.com receives will go to the University
of Virginia employees who must pay for their partners' benefits
themselves.
      The webmasters "remain willing to shut the website down immediately if President Casteen takes tangible steps towards ending the second-class status of the University's gay employees."

Gay Marriage Poll Annulled

Tupelo, MS – The American Family Association posted an online poll, late last year, asking its constituents their position on gay marriage. This conservative group, in its efforts to support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as strictly between a man and a woman, planned to forward the results to Congress. Given
their constituency, it was expected the results would indicate that
Americans oppose gay marriage.
      Before the poll's url was leaked in December, the anti-gay-marriage position was leading, with 51 percent of respondents opposing gay marriage or civil unions. By mid-January, 60 percent of respondents, more than 508,000 voters, said, "I favor legalization of homosexual marriage." The AFA's chosen position was being defeated by a 2-1 ratio.
      "We're very concerned that the traditional state of marriage is under threat in our country by homosexual activists," said AFA representative Buddy Smith. He says his organization has abandoned its goal of taking the poll to Capitol Hill.

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