News
Marriage Campaign Comes Home to VT
The Rest of Our World
The
Rest of Our World
White
Ribbon for Equality
Marathon, FL - The Marathon City Commission passed two resolutions last
month supporting equality for all. The group voted to support the concept
of same-sex marriage and called upon all public and private entities to
give legal recognition to such marriages. At the same time, they kicked
off The White Ribbon Campaign for Equality, hoping it will go national,
as reported in the Florida Keys Keynoter.
The campaign is meant to bring out
the discrepancy between simultaneously extolling freedom and banning gay
marriage. "I think, in a perverted way, President Bush has given
us a gift," said Michael Kilgore, a leader of the drive. "Before,
the issues of gay rights and gay marriages were marginal. By putting us
in the forefront like this, it creates a national discussion."
Third Province Gets Gay Marriage
Toronto, ON - Quebec's Court of Appeal upheld a lower-court ruling last
month that the traditional definition of marriage is discriminatory and
unjustified. As reported in the Associated Press, the plaintiffs were
two men who had been together 31 years. Last June, same-sex marriages
were declared legal by provincial courts in Ontario and British Columbia.
The three provinces together represent
more than half of Canada's 32 million people. Despite the rulings, polls
show Canadians are about evenly split in favor and against legalizing
gay marriage.
Cheney's Novel Helps Queers
St. Louis, MO - Twenty-three years ago, Second Lady Lynne Cheney wrote
a steamy 19th century novel, complete with a lesbian subplot, prostitution,
and explicit depiction of female sexuality. Penguin Group recently announced
a reprint of Sisters, the book Cheney probably wishes would disappear
from the shelves.
Mrs. Cheney is a part of the
Bush administration which strongly advocates abstinence-based sex education
and favors an anti-gay constitutional amendment.
Left Bank Books, a lesbian-owned St.
Louis independent bookstore, will not only stock the book but will be
giving 10 percent of sales to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s
scholarship fund.
Sisters received an overall
rating of 2 of 5 stars by Amazon.com readers.
Are We Surprised?
Dayton, TN - In the same county that held the Scopes "Monkey Trial,"
the 1925 trial which resulted in the conviction of a public high school
teacher for teaching evolution, County Commissioners attempted to get
state approval so the county could charge homosexuals with "crimes
against nature." Within hours of the vote late last month, Rhea was
inundated with reporters and television crews. Two days later, the county
retreated from that position, according to 365gay.com.
Initially, Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who
proposed the measure, made it clear that he wanted to keep "homosexuals
out of here." And his fellow commissioners agreed, voting unanimously
to direct the county attorney to find the best way to enact a local law
banning gays from living in Rhea County. Within two days, the commissioners
hastily backpeddled, claiming that they had misunderstood the motion.
A Word from Her Sponsor
New York, NY- Rosie Jones, a 13-time LPGA winner, came out late last month
after Olivia Cruises asked her to accept their sponsorship in exchange
for coming out publicly.
"It's a bit of a curiosity, because I've
never been in the closet," Jones wrote in an op-ed piece for The
New York Times. "I came out to my family when I was 19, and my friends
and associates on the Tour are all aware that I am gay." Jones has
been on the tour for 22 years and when she turned to family, business
associates, and LPGA staff to talk this over, she was encouraged to go
forward.
"One thing I love about golf is that
it brings people together. A 250-yard drive down the middle of the fairway
or a long putt for birdie doesn't have a political party, a race or a
sexual orientation," she continued. "I'm optimistic that my
fans will see me as the same competitive, hard-working Rosie I've always
been and respect this new aspect of my life as I respect their diversity."
Give Yourself a Hand!
San Francisco, CA - Good Vibrations, the women-owned and run sex-toy,
book, and video store, will be celebrating the 8th annual National Masturbation
Month in May. Feel the love - your own, that is - and join the nationwide
festivities honoring the gratifying under-appreciated activity of solo
pleasure.
"Masturbation is an elemental component
of healthy, happy sexuality for so many people," says author and
sex educator Dr. Carol Queen. "The popularity of National Masturbation
Month reflects the Good Vibrations motto: If you want something done right,
do it yourself!"
Over the years thousands of folks have participated
in this event. Since the inception of this unique holiday, Good Vibrations
has raised and donated over $25,000 to various organizations dedicated
to promoting safer sex, HIV prevention and AIDS education and awareness.
This year, the Sperm Bank of California will be joining Good Vibrations
in promoting the one foolproof method of safe sex.
Playboy Bunny Likes Girls
New York, NY- Playboy's Miss November, 1992 is out of the closet and proud
to be Playboy's first lesbian playmate. According to The New York Post,
Stephanie Adams, who has written seven books on metaphysics and spiritual
awareness, recently broke up with her girlfriend and has been seen around
New York with rock icon Joan Jett, lesbian comedian Marga Gomez and a
few ladies featured in Playboy's "Girls Of Bada Bing" from the
hit TV show The Sopranos.
Chrissy Gephardt Joins Victory Fund
Washington, DC - The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute,
an organization that recruits, trains and supports openly gay and lesbian
candidates for office, last month announced the election of Chrissy Gephardt
to the Victory Fund board. The Atlanta board meeting and fundraiser also
generated $30,000 for LGBT candidates.
Gephardt recently worked as the LGBT Outreach Director for the Dick Gephardt
for President 2004 campaign. Her focus in the campaign was on increasing
voter participation within the LGBT community and giving issues of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgendered equality a prominent place in the
2004 campaign.
Currently, there are 266 openly LGBT Americans
in office, a 500 percent increase since the founding of Victory Fund in
1991 but a small number compared to the over 511,000 elective offices
that make up the nation’s federal, state and local governments.
Thirteen states have no openly gay officeholders serving at any level
of government.
Islamic Uproar Over UN DP Benefits
New York, NY - Secretary General Kofi Annan faced an anti-gay rights uproar
from Islamic countries at the United Nations over his decision to extend
benefits to the same-sex partners of UN staff. As reported on Queerday.com,
the 56-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference lambasted Annan's
order, which went into effect last month, saying only member states had
the right to make such a move. Annan's limited order allows domestic partners
to receive benefits as long as the UN employee's country of origin legally
recognizes the relationship. A UN spokesman said only a handful of staff
have applied so far.
Rocking Against AIDS
Fort Lauderdale, FL - Rhythms for Health is working to get people at risk
for AIDS to be tested, in exchange for concert tickets. This organization
offers HIV screening at places like amusement parks, church parking lots,
neighborhood fairs, and hip-hop concerts to reach people who might not
otherwise be tested.
According to the CDC, African Americans
make up only 12 percent of the population, but roughly 54 percent of all
HIV/AIDS cases. To reduce these numbers, the Black AIDS Institute, a national
education group, began sponsoring Rhythms for Health. In Florida last
month, anyone who wanted to attend the Ladies First concert, featuring
Grammy winners Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliott, just had to brush
a cotton swab around in their mouths and answer some personal questions
about sex to be entered in a ticket lottery.
Several programs nationwide have taken
HIV testing to the people, according to the New York Times report. At
some locations, test results are available in 20 minutes. Tests are conducted
by health officials, and those tested must give their names, addresses
and telephone numbers so health workers can follow up if the result is
positive. Fighting HIV, an LA testing program, has helped as many as 12,000
blacks get tested. Of those, roughly 400 tested positive for HIV. The
youngest was a 14-year-old girl and the oldest a 68-year-old woman.
Gay Bishop Welcomed
Concord, NH - Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to be elected as
a bishop in the Episcopal Church, and the worldwide Anglican Communion,
was welcomed last month in a ceremony that represented the final step
of his ascension from priest to bishop. The investiture ceremony transferred
the diocese to Robinson, after several months of shared power with the
retiring bishop. The crowd of 600 parishioners erupted with whistles,
shouts, and a standing ovation, according to the Associated Press.
Several Anglican bishops abroad have
said they will no longer associate with the Episcopal Church USA because
it approved Robinson’s election. A dozen conservative bishops in
the US are organizing an alternative network of diocese and parishes that
will not recognize Bishop Robinson.
Robinson has lived with his partner, Mark
Andrew, for 15 years.
Schoolboard: You Can't Make Me
Westminster, CA – The Westminster School District, in Orange County,
is refusing to recognize a state law that bans discrimination on the basis
of sexuality even though it could lose millions of dollars in state and
federal funding.
As reported by 365gay.com, state law requires
all California school districts to have a written anti-discrimination
policy that includes protections for all LGBT students.
In meetings last month, three trustees
voted not to amend the district's code of conduct to cover trans students
because the trustees are Christians. "I might take a lot of heat
for it today, but the rewards are going to be great in heaven," said
Judy Ahrens, one of the three.
Refusing to change the policy could require
state and federal agencies to withhold up to $40 million for the district’s
17 schools - two-thirds of its budget.
Westminster is the only district in the
state that has hesitated to update its anti-discrimination policies, said
Gary Page of the state Education Department.
Compiled by Assistant Editor Susan McMillan