************************************************* The week of 04/22/96 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: The Dutch Parliament sets up a commission to study legalizing same-gender marriage, while Kansas becomes the fifth U.S. state to refuse to recognize it -- and Arizona and Alaska may be next ... queers organize in Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] ==> Read the complete text of NewsWrap below! * Queer Parents - Reporting from London, Rebecca Sandles looks at the case of one gay father denied access to his children because of his sexual orientation, and speaks with Angela Mason, Executive Director of Stonewall, who talks about the organization's initiative launched earlier this year on behalf of lesbian and gay parents ... * Queer Kids - Author Kurt Chandler's 1992 special feature for the Minneapolis Star Tribune formed the basis for his current book, "Passages Of Pride: Gay & Lesbian Youth Come of Age". In the second of a 3-part feature interview, Chandler talks with TWO's Josy Catoggio about the serious dangers teens face in coming out, but also has lots to say about the success stories he encountered ... ==========================*============================= NewsWrap for the week ending April 20th, 1996 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #421, distributed 04-22-96) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Bill Stosine, Jason Lin, Greg Gordon, Rex Wockner, Bjorn Skolander, Andy Quan, Alejandra Sarda, and Ron Buckmire] THE NETHERLANDS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THIS WEEK VOTED 81-TO-60 TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION TO STUDY EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE COMMISSION WILL LOOK INTO THE IMPLICATIONS OF LEGALIZING SAME-GENDER MARRIAGES BOTH WITHIN THE NETHERLANDS AND IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ADOPTION RIGHTS. THE MOTION CALLS ON THE COMMISSION TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS TO THE PARLIAMENT BEFORE AUGUST 1ST AND URGES THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION BY OCTOBER TO OPEN LEGAL MARRIAGE TO GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE DUTCH NATIONAL ORGANIZATION COC CALLED THE VOTE "A MORAL VICTORY". OPPONENTS ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. SOME ARE ALSO CONCERNED AT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE NETHERLANDS' HEREDITARY MONARCHY BEING PASSED TO A ROYAL LESBIAN'S CHILD BY ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION, OR A ROYAL GAY MAN'S CHILD BY ADOPTION. GOVERNOR BILL GRAVES LAST WEEK MADE KANSAS THE FIFTH STATE IN THE U.S. TO DENY LEGAL RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES, FOLLOWING GEORGIA, IDAHO, SOUTH DAKOTA AND UTAH. GRAVES HAD PREVIOUSLY SUGGESTED THAT LEGISLATORS DEVOTE THEIR TIME TO MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND HE THINKS THE MEASURE IS UNNECESSARY, BUT HE NONETHELESS PROMPTLY SIGNED IT INTO LAW, SAYING, "I THOUGHT THE BEST THING TO DO WAS GET IT SIGNED AND BE DONE WITH IT. WHY WHIP ALL THE ULTRACONSERVATIVES INTO A LATHER OVER THE THING? I THINK ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT SIGNED, NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES IN KANSAS. THEY JUST FELT LIKE THEY WERE SORT OF, AS USUAL, BEING PICKED ON AND SINGLED OUT." THE NEXT GOVERNORS TO DECIDE THE FATE OF BILLS AGAINST SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE ARE ALASKA'S TONY KNOWLES AND ARIZONA'S FIFE SYMINGTON, FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF BILLS THIS WEEK BY SUBSTANTIAL MARGINS IN THE ALASKA STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE ARIZONA STATE SENATE. REPUBLICAN SYMINGTON IS EXPECTED TO SIGN ARIZONA'S BILL INTO LAW. HE HAS SAID HE SEES THE LEGISLATION AS IMPORTANT, AND HE USED HIS OPPOSITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGE RIGHTS AS AN ISSUE IN HIS LAST CAMPAIGN. KNOWLES HAS NOT STATED A POSITION ON THE ALASKA MEASURE. IN ANTICIPATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SAME-GENDER MARRIAGES BECOMING LEGAL IN HAWAII FOLLOWING AN UPCOMING TRIAL THERE, 11 OTHER STATES ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING BILLS TO DENY RECOGNITION TO THOSE MARRIAGES, WHILE 13 MORE STATES HAVE KILLED SIMILAR MEASURES. THE NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS TOWN MEETING VOTED 214-TO-212 LAST WEEK TO ALLOW UNMARRIED COUPLES, INCLUDING GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES, TO REGISTER AS DOMESTIC PARTNERS AND GAIN THE STATUS OF FAMILY MEMBERS. THE BOULDER, COLORADO HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOULDER CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISH A DOMESTIC PARTNERS REGISTRY FOR SAME-GENDER COUPLES. THE REGISTRY WOULD CARRY NO LEGAL WEIGHT. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THE ISSUE IN EARLY MAY. THE ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES WON'T BE CARRYING A TORCH FOR HOMOPHOBIA. ALMOST TWO YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS CONVINCED OLYMPIC ORGANIZERS TO MOVE A VOLLEYBALL EVENT OUT OF COBB COUNTY, THE ATLANTA, GEORGIA SUBURB WHOSE COMMISSIONERS PASSED A RESOLUTION AGAINST WHAT THEY CALLED "THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE". BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THIS WEEK THAT THE ATLANTA COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES CHANGED THE ROUTE FOR THE TRADITIONAL TORCH RELAY TO BYPASS COBB COUNTY. A COMMITTEE SPOKESPERSON SAID, "WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE EXCITEMENT OF THE EVENT AND NOT BE DISTRACTED BY OTHER ISSUES." ARGENTINE ACTIVISTS IN EARLY APRIL HELD THEIR FIRST NATIONAL GATHERING OF LESBIANS, GAYS, TRANSVESTITES, TRANSSEXUALS AND TRANSGENDERED PEOPLE, ORGANIZED BY THE ARCO IRIS GROUP OF ROSARIO. 170 ACTIVISTS, COMPRISED ABOUT EQUALLY OF LESBIANS, GAYS AND TRANNIES, CAME FROM MANY ARGENTINE PROVINCES AND 3 OTHER COUNTRIES TO MEET FOR 3 DAYS. WORKSHOPS WERE HELD ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING ISSUES OF HOMOPHOBIA, MEDIA, RELIGION, CIVIL RIGHTS, PROSTITUTION, PARENTS OF GAYS AND LESBIANS, LESBIAN AND GAY PARENTS, AND GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH. THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL CULTURAL EVENTS AND A SPONTANEOUS MARCH BY ABOUT 40 PARTICIPANTS WHO SANG, "RESPECT, RESPECT, RESPECT: GAYS AND LESBIANS ARE WALKING THE STREETS OF ARGENTINA" AND "GAYS, LESBIANS, TRANSVESTITES, TRANSSEXUALS, ALL TOGETHER FIGHTING FOR NATIONAL RIGHTS." THE GATHERING CREATED A SENSE OF UNITY, HEALING SOME HISTORIC DIVISIONS IN THE MOVEMENT FOR GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS IN ARGENTINA, AND CONSENSUS WAS REACHED ON SEVERAL POINTS: RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUALS' DEFINITIONS OF THEIR OWN SEXUAL IDENTITIES, NON-HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURES FOR ORGANIZATIONS, A COMMITMENT TO VISIBILITY, AND PRIORITIES FOR ENDING POLICE BRUTALITY AND GAINING FULL CITIZENSHIP WITHOUT ASSIMILATION. ANOTHER NATIONAL GATHERING WILL BE HELD NEXT APRIL IN THE PROVINCE OF SALTA IN NORTHERN ARGENTINA. A FIRST NATIONAL GATHERING WAS ALSO HELD RECENTLY IN BOLIVIA, ORGANIZED BY THE GROUP UNIDOS EN LA LUCHA POR LA DIGNIDAD Y LA SALUD, OR "UNITED IN THE FIGHT FOR DIGNITY AND HEALTH". THE MEETING ATTRACTED GAYS AND LESBIANS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA TO DISCUSS ISSUES OF HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES. ON A LIGHTER NOTE, THEY ALSO HELD A "SENORITA GAY" DRAG CONTEST. IN RUSSIA, A NEW LESBIAN GROUP CALLED SAFO HAS ORGANIZED IN SAINT PETERSBURG. SAFO GATHERINGS FEATURE VIDEOS, CONCERTS AND DISCUSSIONS. IN URUGUAY, THE GROUPS HOMOSEXUALS UNITED AND THE URUGUAYAN ASSOCIATION OF TRANSVESTITES ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR EQUAL RIGHTS IN THE SEX INDUSTRY. THE PARLIAMENT IS PREPARING TO LEGALIZE AND REGULATE PROSTITUTION, BUT ONLY FOR FEMALE SEX WORKERS WITH MALE CUSTOMERS. THE GROUPS ARE CALLING FOR LETTERS TO URUGUAY'S COMMISSIONS ON THE CONSTITUTION, HUMAN RIGHTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH CALLING FOR THE LEGISLATION TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MALE SEX WORKERS AND SAME-GENDER CUSTOMERS. IN SERBIA, GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING A CAMPAIGN TO REFORM MEDICAL TEXTBOOKS. TWO LEADING SERBIAN PSYCHIATRY TEXTS CURRENTLY LIST HOMOSEXUALITY UNDER "SEXUAL DEVIATIONS AND DISORDERS", A HEADING WHICH ALSO INCLUDES BESTIALITY AND PEDOPHILIA, AMONG OTHERS. THE TEXTS LAG BEHIND THE LATEST REVISION OF PSYCHIATRIC CLASSIFICATIONS BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, AND THE ACTIVISTS SAY SERBIAN PSYCHIATRISTS USE THE TEXTS TO JUSTIFY THEIR HOMOPHOBIA. IN CANADA, OPENLY GAY NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SVEND ROBINSON HAS ONCE AGAIN INTRODUCED A BILL TO ADD "SEXUAL ORIENTATION" AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY IN THE CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. ROBINSON HAS NO ILLUSIONS OF QUICK ACTION, HAVING INTRODUCED THE SAME MEASURE SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS AND SEEN 7 CANADIAN JUSTICE MINISTERS PROMISE ITS PASSAGE OVER THE LAST DECADE. BUT HE SAYS HE'S "TRYING TO KEEP THE HEAT ON THE GOVERNMENT" FOLLOWING THE SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN LAST MONTH STATING A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO ENACT THE AMENDMENT BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTIONS, EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR. A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING LIBERAL PARTY ARE FEARFUL THAT SUPPORTING EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS WILL LOSE THEM VOTES TO THE GROWING RIGHT-WING REFORM PARTY. THE SAN FRANCISCO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HAS RULED THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, A MAJOR U.S. MILITARY VETERANS ORGANIZATION, HAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ITS LARGELY GAY CHAPTER, THE ALEXANDER HAMILTON POST, BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THE LEGION WAS FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED THE CITY'S BAN ON DISCRIMINATION IN PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS BY REFUSING TO ALLOW THE HAMILTON POST TO RUN AN AD IN THE STATEWIDE NEWSLETTER, BY DISTRIBUTING FROM ITS HEADQUARTERS IN A CITY-OWNED BUILDING FLYERS PROMOTING THE ANTI-GAY PROPAGANDA VIDEO "THE GAY AGENDA", AND BY FAILING TO RESPOND TO DEROGATORY REMARKS BY ITS EMPLOYEES. WHILE THE COMMISSION LACKS ANY REAL POWER OVER THE STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION, REDRESS COULD BE SOUGHT THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING, OR A LAWSUIT. THE FACULTY OF M.I.T., THE MASSACHUSSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY THIS WEEK TO OPEN THE CAMPUS R.O.T.C., RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS, TO GAYS AND LESBIANS, EVEN THOUGH THEY CANNOT OPENLY SERVE IN THE U.S. MILITARY. THE MOVE WAS INTENDED TO CIRCUMVENT A RECENT FEDERAL LAW DENYING DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GRANTS TO UNIVERSITIES BARRING R.O.T.C. FROM THEIR CAMPUSES, WHICH WOULD MEAN MORE THAN FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS TO M.I.T.. THE FACULTY CALLED ON THE INSTITUTE TO EXTEND FUNDING TO STUDENTS WHO LOSE THEIR R.O.T.C. SCHOLARSHIPS BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THERE'S BEEN NO COMMENT YET FROM THE PENTAGON. AND FINALLY ... AN AUSTIN, TEXAS RADIO PREACHER'S CAMPAIGN FOR A BOYCOTT OF COMPANIES ADVERTISING IN THE GAY AND LESBIAN NEWSPAPER THE TEXAS TRIANGLE HAS TURNED OUT TO BE BAD BUSINESS ... FOR HIM. KIXL/AUSTIN IS RESHUFFLING ITS SCHEDULE, AND WYATT ROBERTS' SHOW, "THE TEXAS FAMILY UPDATE", IS BEING DISCONTINUED. MEANWHILE, ALMOST ALL OF THE TEXAS TRIANGLE'S ADVERTISERS HAVE STOOD FIRMLY BEHIND THE PAPER. ONE OF THOSE TRIANGLE ADVERTISERS, FIRST TEXAS HONDA, FACED WEEKLY DEMONSTRATIONS BY THE AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION. .. BUT FAR FROM BEING HURT BY THE PROTESTS, FIRST TEXAS HONDA REPORTS IT'S HAVING ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR EVER. Sources for this week's report: Reuter News Service; The British Times; The Wichita (Kansas) Eagle; The Kansas State University Collegian; The Anchorage Daily News; The New York Times; The Associated Press; The Boulder (Colorado) Daily Camera; The San Francisco Examiner; The Boston Globe; The Texas Triangle; Rex Wockner International News Service; and cyberpress releases from Andy Quan of The International Lesbian & Gay Association, The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, The Arizona Human Rights Fund, and Alejandra Sarda of Argentina's Escrita En El Cuerpo. ======================================================== Some THIS WAY OUT operating expenses are funded by grants from THE C.P. ESTES GUADALUPE FOUNDATION, THE GILL FOUNDATION, THE KICKING ASSETS FUND OF THE TIDES FOUNDATION, and by individual donations from listeners worldwide. 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