Compiled by Dawn Wolfe
Politics
House tells Delay to release Hate Crimes bill
WASHINGTON - In a 213-186 procedural vote - with 31 Republicans - the U.S. House voted Sept. 29 in favor of passing the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The vote was on a motion to instruct - informing conference committee members that a bipartisan majority of the House wants it to pass, even as Majority Leader Tom Delay refuses to bring the measure up for a vote.
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would add real or perceived sexual orientation, gender and disability to federal hate crime laws, thus allowing the federal government the ability to provide assistance for the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes based on these categories. A similar version of the bill was passed in the Senate as an amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill on June 15, 2004. It passed by a 65-33 vote, with 18 Republicans.
To find and contact your U.S. House Rep visit Project Vote Smart: www.vote-smart.org.
Contact Rep. Tom Delay, R-Texas: 242 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC, 20515-4322; Phone: 202-225-5951; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep/
Gay rights, pro-choice and anti-war scenes to be cut from Lincoln Memorial video
Washington, DC - In order to edit out filmed scenes of gay and abortion rights demonstrations that occurred at the Lincoln Memorial, the Bush Administration has spent more than a year and nearly $200,000 making two new versions of a video, according to agency records released Sept. 29 by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
In November 2003, under pressure from conservative religious groups, the Park Service announced that it would alter an eight-minute video containing photos and footage of demonstrations and other events taking place at the Lincoln Memorial. These conservative groups complained that footage of gay rights, pro-choice and anti-Vietnam War demonstrations implied that Lincoln would have supported homosexual and abortion rights as well as feminism.
Records obtained by PEER show that two versions of the video have been made and paid for. The first version is a wholly new video to revise and update the Lincoln Memorial video… Park Service employees have informed PEER that the new video required, but failed to obtain, approval by Assistant Interior Secretary Craig Manson.
This June, a second version of the video was ordered. Notwithstanding the time and expense, the Bush Administration refuses to release any version of the new video.
Gay Republican group will consider Huntsman endorsement Oct. 5
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Log Cabin Republicans will decide Oct. 5 whether to endorse its party's candidate for governor, despite Jon Huntsman Jr.'s support of a constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights.
The proposed amendment, which goes before voters in November, says: "Marriage consists only of the legal union between a man and a woman. No other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent effect."
Huntsman supports the amendment, but also wants to create reciprocal beneficiary legislation. Amendment opponents say such legislation would be barred by the amendment.
Utah Log Cabin President Gordon Storrs says he will make a "strong pitch" for endorsing Huntsman.
"He's the only politician who has even talked about fostering some legislation to grant any kind of rights to gay people in the form of a reciprocal benefits," Storrs said.
HRC To celebrate eighth annual national dinner
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign will celebrate its Eighth Annual
National Dinner Oct. 8 at the Washington Convention Center. During the week of Sept. 27, HRC sold out its 3,000 tickets to the event, which will feature Jessica Lange, Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell, Bishop Gene Robinson, D.C.
Councilmember David Catania, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and Max Mutchnick,
creator and executive producer of Will & Grace, among others.
Free Speech
School removes equal marriage rights from debate
FORT MILL, S.C. - Administrators at Fort Mill High School decided to remove equal marriage rights, abortion and stem cell research from the agenda of a planned student debate out of concern that they might clash with a state law on sex education.
Two of the three topics originally were on a list of eight approved by Principal David Damm for use in a student-run debate scheduled for October 19. The debate is intended to mirror the debates between President Bush and Sen. John Kerry.
A debate announcement said issues such as education, taxes, jobs, the war in Iraq and faith-based initiatives would be discussed, but "because of South Carolina laws, we cannot discuss such controversial issues as stem cell research, abortion or homosexual marriages."
Both Damm and Superintendent Thomas Dowling said the restriction referred to the state's health education act, which prohibits health class discussion on abortion and homosexual sex.
Employment Rights
Summit to address needs of gay and lesbian workers
More than 750 people are met in Arizona the week of Sept. 27 to try to help address issues faced by gay workers and business managers.
"Workplaces everywhere are realizing that it is time to step up to the plate and become an out and equal workplace where all people are valued," said Selisse Berry, executive director of San Francisco-based Out & Equal, the nonprofit organization hosting the event.
The majority of heterosexuals think same-sex partners deserve the same adoption benefits and leave rights as their married colleagues, according to an Out & Equal online survey conducted in July.
Today, 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies have included sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies. But only 200 of those large companies offer domestic partner health benefits.
Also, 36 states, including Arizona, still don't offer protection against sexual orientation discrimination.
The the goal of the organizers was to increase the rights and benefits given to gay workers by teaching human resources managers, diversity executives and employees how to transform their workplaces into environments where employees are valued for their contributions and talent, not their sexual orientation, Berry said.
Family Rights
Sprint to offer workers domestic partner benefits
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Sprint Corp. will extend health insurance and other employee benefits to domestic partners beginning in 2005.
The Overland Park, Kan.-based telecommunications company, with 61,000 employees nationwide, disclosed the program to employees the week of Sept. 27 as part of a regular review of changes to benefits for next year. The expanded coverage would take effect Jan. 1.
Sprint spokeswoman Jennifer Bosshardt said the move was not connected to criticism the company received earlier this month from the Human Rights Campaign, which ridiculed Sprint for providing insurance to employees' pets but not domestic partners.
For more information visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or the Human Rights Campaign at www.hrc.org.
Judge grants custody to lesbian who entered into civil union in Vermont
WINCHESTER, Va. - A woman who moved to Virginia with her 2-year-old daughter after the breakup of her civil union in Vermont was awarded sole custody of the child Sept. 28.
The decision by the Frederick County Circuit Judge is the latest twist in a case that has resulted in conflicting decisions by courts in the two states.
Prosser gave Lisa Miller-Jenkins, 35, full custody of 2-year-old Isabella and ruled that she can decide whether to allow visitation by her former partner, Janet Miller-Jenkins.
The women were a couple in Virginia when they decided four years ago to enter into a civil union in Vermont. They then went back to Virginia and decided Lisa Miller-Jenkins would conceive a child through artificial insemination.
Isabella was born in Virginia in April 2002. The two women later moved to Vermont before they ended their civil union. Lisa Miller-Jenkins took the child and moved back to Virginia, where civil unions are not recognized, and sued for full custody.
Janet Miller-Jenkins, 39, contested the action, saying a Family Court judge in Vermont already had given her temporary visitation rights with the child. Earlier this month, Judge William Cohen found Lisa Miller-Jenkins in contempt for failing to abide by the order.
Religion
Minneapolis church sanctioned for gay ordination
MINNEAPOLIS - Two months after Bethany Lutheran Church ordained an openly gay man as a minister, the church is being sanctioned by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Associate pastor Jay Wiesner, who was ordained July 25 and installed as Bethany's associate pastor Aug. 1, said he anticipated the sanction.
Under the policy of the Chicago-based ELCA, anyone in a same-sex relationship cannot be ordained unless they remain celibate.
The Rev. Steven Benson, Bethany's pastor, said Johnson's action against the church could have been more harsh. The letter represents a healthy compromise, he said.
"He's crafted his response in such a way that we can continue to do ministry and mission while still remaining under the disapproval of the ELCA," said Benson. "He chose something in the middle. At least he didn't disband us."
Episcopal bishops use fall meeting to address divide over gay bishop
SPOKANE, Wash. - Episcopal bishops ended their fall meeting acknowledging the "tensions and pain" in their denomination and other Anglican provinces worldwide over the first openly gay bishop in the American church.
The House of Bishops said in a statement Sept. 28 that they would accept "in a spirit of humility" a report due Oct. 18 from a panel of Anglican Communion leaders on whether their global association can stay unified despite differences over homosexuality.
The 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church is the U.S. representative of the Communion, which has 77 million members and traces its roots to the Church of England.
The Episcopal vote last year to authorize the consecration of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as New Hampshire bishop has roiled the Communion. Robinson lives openly with his longtime male partner. Many overseas Anglican leaders believe homosexuality is incompatible with the Bible and they have demanded some disciplinary action against the U.S. church.
The Episcopal bishops said they planned to meet again early next year to study the October report.
For more information: www.episcopalchurch.org
In Other News
Chicago Gay Games Signs Multi-million Deal for TV/Radio Broadcast Rights
CHICAGO, IL Chicago organizers of Gay Games VII Sept. 30 announced a multi-million dollar cash and barter deal assigning television and radio broadcast rights to the Q Television network. Q Television Network and Chicago Games, Inc. (CGI) signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) marking the final negotiation period for an agreement transferring the media rights to the California-based cable network.
The LOI outlines the broad terms of the proposed deal, including broadcast rights, joint development of Gay Games-related programming, broadcast airtime for advanced Gay Games advertising, and live and taped coverage of Gay Games VII events from 15 to 22 July 2006. As part of the proposed agreement, Q Television, a subscriber-based television network affiliated with RCN Cable and other providers, will unscramble its signal during live coverage of the Gay Games in 2006. Q Television would also serve as the agent for the redistribution of television and radio broadcast rights, allowing for access beyond Q Televisions cable footprint, especially in international markets. The media rights being sold would not prohibit standard news coverage.
For more information and/or to register for the Gay Games: www.gaygameschicago.org.
