Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 16:37:54 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 3/19/99 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. More on Equality Begins at Home activities 2. CA: Youth Lobby Day rally in support of AB 222 Animal mutilations may be hate crime against gay student 3. WI: Banned books returned to school library (at least temporarily) =============================================================================== Date: Thu, 11 Mar 99 17:10:40 -0500 Subject: [NGLTF] EBAH Update: 250 Events Create Largest Grassroots Organizing Campaign From: "Channel Q News" To: Multiple recipients of Activist - Sent by ********************************************** NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: Tracey Conaty, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager tconaty@ngltf.org 2320 17TH Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-2702 http://www.ngltf.org ********************************************** EQUALITY BEGINS AT HOME UPDATE; 250 EVENTS IN 50 STATES AND DC AND PUERTO RICO MAKE FOR ONE GLBT MOVEMENT'S LARGEST GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING CAMPAIGN; Washington, DC --- March 11, 1999 --- Equality Begins at Home (EBAH), the first-ever campaign of actions in all 50 states for equality, is turning into one of the largest political actions in the history of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender movement. Activists in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have organized more than 250 events to address issues of anti-gay discrimination, violence, and prejudice. The actions will largely focus on state legislatures. Equality Begins at Home is coordinated by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and organized by the Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Political Organizations. "The idea of participating in a national event that takes place in our home states and communities has struck a chord with people. State and local activists are seizing the opportunity presented by Equality Begins at Home to demonstrate where the power is in our movement - in our home states," said Paula Ettelbrick, NGLTF's Equality Begins at Home National Coordinator. State governments across the country have increasingly become the battleground for the culture war over equality. In recent years, the number of gay-related bills introduced in state legislatures has steadily grown. While many seek equal treatment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens, many others are direct attacks. These bills would ban adoption, block domestic partner benefits, ban same-sex marriage, block gay/straight alliances in schools, exclude sexual orientation from hate crime laws, and more. At least 24 states will have lobby days, 31 will have rallies or marches in the capitals, 12 will hold town meetings to discuss future statewide organizing, nine will hold statewide conferences, and nine states will hold stand-alone press conferences not related to other events. At least 15 states will have actions specifically to counter hate violence and pass hate crimes legislation. In addition, dozens of states will have exhibits and cultural, educational, and social events. In Connecticut the rainbow flag will fly above the capitol in Hartford for the entire week, and activists in North Dakota will announce the formation of that state's first GLBT political group - Equality North Dakota. "How better to mark the 30th anniversary of Stonewall than to launch one of the largest organizing campaigns in our movement's history," said Kerry Lobel, NGLTF executive director. "Equality Begins at Home is spurring political organizations in states where there were none, building coalitions with other communities, and ensuring that we will ultimately be full and equal citizens in America," added Lobel. While each state has determined its own agenda and legislative priorities, there are a number of consistent themes: hate crimes and non-discrimination legislation rank as the highest priorities among the states. Safe schools legislation and fighting backlash family legislation regarding marriage and adoption figure prominently as well. Conferences, exhibits, lobby days and educational forums focused on youth and families will take place across the country, with many states organizing youth rallies and displaying the love makes a family photo exhibit. Approximately one dozen states will display section of the AIDS Quilt in or near the capitol. "If we are going to beat back the right wing and their relentless attacks, if we are going to end the hate violence and discrimination, if we are going to repeal sodomy laws, we must organize and mobilize in our home stated," state Gina Reiss of the New Jersey Lesbian and Gay Coalition and co-chair of the Federation. The following is just a sampling of the nearly 250 events occurring during Equality Begins at Home, March 21- 27. A full calendar of events is available from the Equality Begins at Home web site at www.equalitybeginsathome.org or by contacting NGLTF. * History will be made when the rainbow flag waves over Connecticut's capitol in Hartford during the whole week of Equality Begins at Home - the first time the rainbow flag has flown over a state capitol building. * In California, thousands will rally at the state capitol to fiercely defend a safe schools bill. * In Colorado, a photo of a GLBT family will sit on the desk of every state legislator. * In Florida, one thousand people are expected to attend a statewide organizing conference in Tallahassee. They will also rally at that state capital with Congressman Barney Frank. * In Georgia, the week will be filled with at least ten events, including a lobby day, a youth rally, a party honoring local movement heroes, workshops, and an interfaith action against hate violence. * In Kentucky, a rainbow bus tour through the state will galvanize support for the year 2000 legislative session - and the introduction of the state's first of pro-GLBT piece of legislation. * In New Mexico, a "Homos on the Highway" caravan will take people to the capital for a rally. * North Carolina will hold its first-ever statewide GLBT lobby day. * In South Carolina, a contingent for GLBT people will march behind an Equality Begins at Home banner in Columbia's Saint Patrick's Day Parade. * Three thousand people are expected to march in Austin, Texas to demand an end to attacks on our families. In addition to these events, Equality Begins at Home has catalyzed the formation of Equality North Dakota - the first statewide political group in North Dakota. Equality Begins at Home has also prompted New Hampshire to reconfigure their statewide group and to lobby for the repeal of the state's 12-year-old law banning GLBT people from becoming adoptive or foster parents. -30- _____________________________________________________________________ Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. If you have a question regarding this post, please direct it to the contact at the top of this message. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE ACTIVIST" in the subject and body of your email message to . You may also unsubscribe by visiting http://www.ngltf.org. =================================================================================== PRESS ADVISORY CONTACT: Jennifer Richard (916) 319-2041 Friday, March 19, 1999 Robert A. Perez (415) 449-5012 (pager) Lesbian & Gay Students Lobby State Legislature for 'Dignity' Noon Rally in Support of AB 222 (Kuehl) WHO: Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl, Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, Assemblywoman Carole Migden and others will address rally of over 500 students in support of the Dignity for All Students Act. WHAT: As part of the Fourth Annual Youth Lobby Day, Assemblymembers Kuehl, Migden and Villaraigosa who are joint authors on the Dignity For All Students Act will address a Noon Rally in Support of the bill. Amongst other students Robert Ryan, 17, of Manteca will address the rally. After repeated harassment at school, Robert recently awoke to find the mutilated bodies of animals placed in his front yard. The incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The Dignity for All Students Act requires the administration of each public school and community college campus to ensure that programs and activities are free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, as they now must on the bases of race, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, color, and physical and mental disability. The bill aims to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all students. The legislation is sponsored by the California Alliance for Pride and Equality and the California Teacher's Association. WHEN: Monday, March 22, 1999 at NOON WHERE: State Capitol West Steps WHY: * 22.2% of gay and lesbian youth skip school each month, because they fear for their safety on the school grounds. * In a recent study of 500 community college students in the Bay Area, 18 percent of males surveyed said they had physically assaulted or threatened someone they thought was gay or lesbian. Another 32 percent admitted to verbal harassment of gays and lesbians. * Gay and lesbian youth are 3-4 times more likely to have attempted suicide than their heterosexual peers. Jennifer Richard, Consultant, Office of Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. e-mail: Jennifer.Richard@asm.ca.gov direct line: (916)319-2346, fax:(916)319-2141 ============================================================================== [Warning: the following story contains somewhat graphic descriptions of cruelty to animals. If that sort of thing upsets you, you might want to skip this story.] MODESTO BEE, March 2, 1999 P. O. Box 3928,Modesto,CA,95352 (Fax 209-441-6499 ) (E-MAIL: letters@modbee.com ) ( http://www.modbee.com ) ( Does not publish letters from outside the geographical region. ) Gay bashing or not, crime is heinous By Dennis Roberts, Bee staff writer MANTECA -- When Robert Ryan peered out his bedroom window the morning of Feb. 23, what he saw made his stomach wrench. "I looked outside and someone had placed a city road block sign in my front yard," Ryan said. Across the top of the sign, someone had laid a gutted raccoon. Ryan called his mother, Christine Ryan, who looked out and screamed. On the front doorstep, they found another dead animal -- a cat that also had been ripped open with a knife -- and two plastic bags containing animal intestines. Against the house, someone had placed a sunflower bush. Ryan first believed the dead cat might be his beloved pet Sammy. When Sammy turned up a short time later, Ryan hugged him and locked the cat in his room for the day. Ryan, a 17-year-old openly gay student who founded the Gay Straight Alliance at Sierra High School, believes it's a case of gay bashing. Police aren't sure, but said they're investigating the case seriously and are working hard to catch the perpetrators -- regardless of their motivation. "There was nothing per se (at the scene) that seemed to target someone of a particular lifestyle," said officer Scott Bratton, who responded to the Tuesday morning call. "There was no note, nothing was written graffiti-style. I would find it hard to say at this point that it's a hate crime. It could be a sick joke." Neither Bratton nor Ryan could say if the sunflower bush carried any symbolic significance. Ryan said he has no clue who would hate him enough to commit such a crime, but he suspects the mutilations were done by someone from his school. "I get problems at school every day," Ryan said. The abuse, he said, includes threats, taunts and name-calling. "Rarely a day goes by that I don't get harassed. I'm trying to move into adulthood and I'm stuck with people who should have left childish behaviors in junior high." Sisly Garcia, one of Ryan's best friends, said she's convinced Ryan's house was targeted because he's gay. "That would be the only reason somebody would do that," she said. "He always gets threats and stuff because he's gay." On the other hand, Ryan said he's received support from teachers, administrators and many friends. And he said he can't think of anyone who would commit such a heinous act against an animal. "Whoever did this should be locked up," Ryan said. "Even if (the animals) were already dead before they were mutilated, you don't desecrate a body." Bratton said he had hoped to track down the perpetrators himself, but now the case has been turned over to detectives. "I'm sure somebody is proud of themselves for this," he said. "If someone is capable of doing that to an animal, who knows what else they're capable of doing." ================================================================================= Duluth News Tribune, March 2, 1999 Box 169000,Duluth,MN,55816 (Fax 218-720-4120 ) (E-MAIL: newstrib@duluth.infi.net ) ( http://www.duluthnews.com/ ) Books on gays return to library, at least temporarily Associated Press BARRON, Wis. - Books involving homosexuality will return to a high school library while a federal court considers a lawsuit that accuses the Barron School District of censorship. District officials said they had agreed to restore the books only to avoid unnecessary litigation and not as a concession to the people who have sued. The agreement in documents filed this week in U.S. District Court in Madison cancels a hearing scheduled Wednesday before Judge Barbara Crabb. No trial date has been announced for the lawsuit filed in February by the Wisconsin American Civil Liberties Union. The school board removed "The Drowning of Stephan Jones'' and "Baby BeBop'' last year following a complaint that the fictional books are vulgar. The books tell about young people coping with homosexuality. Two other books have also been returned to the library, at least temporarily. They are "When Someone You Know is Gay'' and "Two in Teenagers in Twenty,'' also nonfiction and dealing with homosexuality. The district agreed not to remove any other books from the library while the lawsuit is litigated. The lawsuit argues the removal of the books represented unlawful censorship under the First Amendment. Attorney William Thiel, who represents the school district, said he was given only a week to respond to the ACLU's request for a temporary injunction to force the board to return the two banned books to the library. "A great deal of time, money and effort would have been expended contesting the preliminary injunction,'' Thiel said. But an ACLU official said the district's moves were an indication of how strong the lawsuit against the district is. "What is suspect is they found the weight of the evidence we presented (in the lawsuit) so strong they couldn't respond to it adequately,'' said Chris Ahmuty, the ACLU of Wisconsin's executive director. ================================================================================= Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/