Newspaper Page Text
Southern Voice/Noverriber 22, 1990
3
NEWS
Denver Says 'Yes' to Gay Rights
The Denver City Council has passed a civil rights ordinance which protects lesbians and gays
from discrimination in housing, employment, health services, and public accommodations.
According to Gay Community News, Tea Schook, one of the ordinance's authors, set about to
add sexual orientation to Denver's human rights ordinance but then found that Denver had no
human rights ordinance at all. The new ordinance includes to sexual orientation, military status,
marital status, race, gender, age, and mental or physical disabilities.
'Hot, Horny, and Healthy' Ad Blows D.C. AIDS Workshop: D.C. government official, Rae
Parr-Moore, ordered Black and White Men Together (BWMT) to rephrase an advertisement
which sponsored 'Hot, Homy, and Healthy' as the central theme for a government sponsored
AIDS workshop. The order was followed by a cancellation from the Howard Inn, where the con
ference was to be held. Apparently the hotel General Manager Edward Isom as well felt the ad
was offensive. Parr-Moore related that the workshop was federally funded and therefore must
comply with federal regulations about AIDS education not being explicitly sexually suggestive.
She adds, "The bottom line is to have a viable program, fully funded on a continuing basis."
How do you do an AIDS workshop without being explicit about sexuality?
San Francisco Votes a 'Lavender Sweep':
Jesse may have beaten Harvey in N.C.but out in
S.F. the recent elections produced a landslide of
victories for the city's lesbian and gay communi
ty. Openly lesbian candidates Carol Migden and
Roberta Achtenberg (shown tearfully hugging a
supporter) were elected to the board of supervi
sors and "were among the top 4 vote getters in
the race. Openly gay Tom Ammiano—a well
known comedian— was elected to the school
board. And San Francisco voters also approved
Proposition K, domestic partnership legislation
which allows gays and lesbians to register their
domestic relationships at City Hall. Black voters
helped push the measure over the top by 8
points. More good news on the domestic part
nership front: a move to repeal Seattle's
D.P.ordinance was defeated by 16 points and
Ithaca, NY has passed legislation which permits
registration of same sex relationships but does
not grant spousal benefits to them.
L.A. Court Says Gay Man Can Lead Boy Scout TVoop: Los Angeles County Superior Court
Judge Sally Disco has ruled that the Boy Scouts are a business establishment and is therefore
subject to California's Unruh Civil Rights Act which forbids discrimination on the basis of sexu
al orientation. Unless the Mount Diablo Council can prove that homosexuality will interfere with
its business purposes in a trial set for early 1991 they will be required to admit ex-Eagle Scout
Timothy Curran as an adult troop leader. If Curran is admitted as a Troop leader he will be able
to teach his scouts a great deal about patience. He filed his original suit in this case in 1981.
Lesbian/Bisexual Organization Forming at Spelman: Members of Atlanta's African
American Lesbian Gay Alliance (AALGA) were invited to join more than 100 students who
attended a two hour panel discussion on religion, sexuality, family, and the discrimination of les
bians and gays within the African-American Community. The program was the second part of a
four part series about sexuality in the Black community sponsored by the Counseling Services
Department at Spelman College and by Alternatives, a women's organization for lesbians, bisex
uals, and those unsure of their sexual orientation. Those interested in more information about
Alternatives may write to the organization c/o Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane, S.W., Box
234, Atlanta, Georgia 30314-4399.
Barney Frank Suffers Heart Attack: Openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D., MA) suffered a
mild heart attack on Sat., Nov. 17, while exercising at his health club. Accoring to the AP, Frank,
50, checked himself into Beth Isreal Hospital on Saturday night with chest pains. Doctors exam
ined him, found a blockage in a coronary artery and performed a successful angioplasty to
remove the blockage. Frank is said to be resting comfortably.
UNC at Chapel Hill Adds Sexual Orientation to Non-Discrimination Policy: Chancellor
Paul Hardin of UNC-CH has released a memo calling sexual orientation an "irrelevant" factor,
along with race, sex, religion, and national origin, in educational and employment decisions. For
several years already, the Student Congress has required that groups receiving student fees
include sexual preference in their nondiscrimination policy. And sexual orientation has as well
been included in the university's harassment clause for years. Leaders from the Carolina Gay and
Lesbian Association feel the groups most affected will be religious organizations, fraternities,
and sororities.
Ex-Lesbian Lover Sues For Visitation Rights to Child She Helped Raised: The New York
Court of Appeals will decide whether a non-biological lesbian lover should have legal visitation
rights to children she raised with the child's biological parent, her ex-lover. Lambda Legal
Defense Fund is representing Alison D. who lived with Virginia M. for seven years. Together
they raised Virginia's biological son for two and a half years before Virginia and Alison separat
ed. The women agreed on a visitation schedule for Alison until 1987 when Virginia decide to
revoke Alison's visitation rights simply because Alison is not the son's biological parent. Courts
in New York have before awarded visitation and custody rights to non-biological parents, step
parents and adoptive parents.
Lesbian Found Guilty of Battering: A Los Angeles lesbian, 25-year-old Sherry Sperling has
been convicted of battery after the prosecution, Los Angeles City Attorney James K. Kahn,
admitted as evidence battered women's syndrome (BWS). Sperling was sentenced to three years
summary probation and ordered to enter a batterers' treatment program. Sperling had beaten her
lover giving her two black eyes and bruises on her body. BWS occurs when the victim of domes
tic violence comes to believe the that the victim is responsible for the abuse. This is the first
prosecution of a lesbian batterer in which BWS has been used as evidence.
Bias Crimes Report: Since our last issue the Lesbian and Gay Police Advisory Committee has
received reports of three incidents of harassment and notice of receipt of hate mail from one
individual. None of these incidents are related to the reported Police/Parks Department harass
ment in Piedmont Park or the Queer Nation incident reported on the facing page. An incident of
bias related vandalism reported to Southern Voice is also not included. Please remember to
report all bias, hate and violence incidents to 286-BIAS. '
The Language of the Goddess
Marija Gimbutas
Once and Future Goddess
Elinor Gadon
Women's Rituals: A Source Book
Barbara Walker
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