Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 21:59:15 -0600 (CST) From: Jim Fagelson Subject: Parents' Network3-23-97 PARENTS' NETWORK March 23, 1997 CALIFORNIA March 21, 1997 An adoption bill AB 53 was heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee on March 19, 1997. AB 53 would prohibit discrimination on the basis of marital status in state adoptions. Current law is silent on "the best interest of the child" with regard to marital status. This silence is appropriate as marriage is not necessarily an indicator of parental fitness. Recently, however, the Wilson administration put forward proposed changes to the state's adoption regulations. These regulations, though not yet adopted, will state that an adoption by an unmarried couple is not in the best interest of the child. AB 53 would preempt the proposed Wilson regulation before it can take effect. AB 53 would provide that unmarried couples may adopt, and that a social worker may not advocate that an adoption by an unmarried couple is against the best interest of the child based solely on the couple's marital status. AB 53 will allow unmarried, loving, fit parents -- of any sexual orientation -- to adopt children. A NEW BOOK ON LOVE AND MARRIAGE Broadway Books is considering publishing THE LESBIAN AND GAY BOOK OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE. Paul Martinac (author of Home Movies and Out of Time) is writing this inspirational sourcebook. It will be built around anecdotes from hundreds of couples from all over the country. It will also be full of informational sidebars that will provide resources for lesbian and gay marriages. FROM THE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: http://www.frc.org WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Several pro-family leaders, collectively representing 20 million people, have added their signatures to a letter sent February 18 urging American Airlines to stop promoting homosexuality. After one month, American has issued no response. In a statement released March 10, Family Research Council President Gary Bauer called on American Airlines to cease its support of homosexual activism. Three other pro-family leaders joined him -- Don Wildmon, American Family Association; D. James Kennedy, Coral Ridge Ministries; and Beverly LaHaye, Concerned Women for America -- in signing a 7-page letter to Robert L. Crandall, chairman of AMR Corp., American's Fort Worth-based parent company. Now joining their efforts are: Dr. James Dobson, President of Focus on the Family; Richard D. Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Christian Life Commission; Ralph Reed, Executive Director of Christian Coalition, Rev. Lou Sheldon, President of Traditional Values Coalition, and Bob Davies, Executive Director of Exodus International North America. The letter states, in part: "We are writing now because....We do not support the denial of any benefit rightly due homosexual employees, but neither do we support the extension of undue privileges in the service of an ideological agenda advanced by militants." Pro-homosexual activities by American Airlines include: * Being named as the official carrier of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN), a group committed to teaching schoolchildren about homosexuality. * Adoption of "sexual orientation" as a specially protected category under workplace rules. * Donations to homosexual activist organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE PASSES ANTI-DISCRIMINATION BILL Backed by new support from the Roman Catholic Church, the New Hampshire House voted to bar discrimination against homosexuals in housing, jobs and public places, such as hotels and restaurants. The house, voting 205-125, sent the bill to the Senate. The bill was endorsed by the Catholic Diocese of Manchester; in the past, the church had opposed it. "There is no legal recourse at present in our state," said Rep. Carol Moore, D-Concord. "This discrimination happens in our state all the time." Moore argued evidence shows homosexuality is determined by a person's genetic makeup, not by choice. People fear homosexuality because they fail to realize people they know and care for are gay, she said. "They're your colleagues, your friends, your seatmates (in the House), the co-sponsors of your bills," she said. Moore said the bill would not force businesses to extend health insurance coverage to the partners of gays or change existing laws against same-sex marriage. Opponents argued the bill sanctioned a sinful lifestyle. VIDEO MAKES THE CASE FOR THE RIGHT TO MARRY A timely video from Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples promotes the civil right of legal marriage for same-sex couples. Called "The Right to Marry," the video examines the issues involved the national debate now taking place in the media, courts and state legislatures. In the video, written and directed by Partners' co-director Demian, nationally prominent gay and lesbian leaders spell out why this right is so important to the community, and what we can do to win and preserve it. "Winning this civil right will only be possible if we organize quickly with the compelling facts fully at our command," said Demian. "The video presents these facts along with the personal stories that make this struggle so vital and compelling." Demian's 72-minute video, "The Right to Marry," features interviews with Rev. Mel White, known for his book "Stranger at the Gate" and his hunger strikes to confront Pat Robertson's hate rhetoric; Phyllis Burke, author of "Family Values: A lesbian mother's fight for her son"; Richard Mohr, author of "A More Perfect Union"; and Kevin Cathcart, executive director of the Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund. The VHS (NTSC) stereo videotape costs just US$19 (plus $3 postage in U.S.) and is available only from Partners Task Force, Box 9685, Seattle, WA 98109; 206-935-1206. Checks, Visa or MasterCard are accepted. (No purchase orders, please.) Each video ships with an information sheet on legal marriage and resources. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON On the cover of "Daddy's Wedding" by Michael Willhoite are pictures of a wedding cake, a man with his arm around another man, and the two men giving each other pieces of cake. That's one of the books being provided to public grade-school libraries throughout Seattle under a $6,150 grant from the Fund for Lesbian & Gay Families with Children endowed last year by City Councilwoman Tina Podlowdowski and her partner, Rochelle Mileur. The books are part of a project designed to increase understanding of different kinds of families and "dispel myths and stereotypes," according to the school system's grant application. The project amounts to promoting homosexuality, said state Sen. Harold Hochstatter (R-Moses Lake). "It is very, very subtle," Hochstatter said Friday. "It is the kind of thing these children would be vulnerable to and needs to be resisted." Tracy Flynn, a school system health curriculum specialist, denied the schools were promoting any lifestyle. "We are just acknowledging what already exists," Flynn said. "Our goal is to support all families. Gay and lesbian families exist in our district." ENGLAND According to the March 23, 1997 issue of the Sunday Telegraph, the UK Scout Movement may have lifted its long-standing ban on openly gay men (and boys). The story states that a gay man who worked for the Scouts for 21 years until being "forced out" because he was gay has accused the movement of bigotry. But Northamptonshire man Stephen Lack said he would like to re-join, despite the bigotry accusation. The movement has now allowed homosexuals to become Scout leaders. Lady Baden-Powell, the wife of the grandson of the founder, described the decision as "extraordinary". The Sunday Telegraph report quotes a John Fogg of the Scout Association as saying: "Our policy is firmly that no young person or adult should receive less favourable treatment because of their sexuality, gender, marital staus or ethnic origin. We don't think this should be a cause for concern. The policy also states that anybody wishing to work for the Scouts must be a fit and appropriate person. The final decisions are made by local people." CALIFORNIA: "NEIGHBORHOODS: THE HIDDEN CITIES OF SAN FRANCISCO" KQED (PBS station) http://www.kqed.org/Cell/neighborhoods/ Explore the history of San Francisco through portraits of its unique and diverse neighborhoods with this comprehensive site from KQED. This three-part Web site features in-depth looks at three distinct neighborhoods in San Francisco--The Mission, Chinatown, and The Castro--and provides substantive lesson plans, resources, and other related information for each neighborhood. CANADA A model lesbian foster-mom is challenging a new Alberta policy against non-traditional families. Somewhere in the area of Edmonton,Alberta, an unnamed lesbian is fostering one child. The Alberta Foster Parent Association considers her to have been a "model" foster parent for 17 years now. However, earlier this year Social Services Minister Stockwell Day indicated in a letter to the Association that his department policy would now be to deny fostering to "non-traditional families," although he also promised that children presently fostered in such ill-defined homes would not be removed. The government has since refused to place any more foster children with the lesbian, and has made it quite clear to the Association that gay and lesbian couples will no longer be approved to serve as foster parents. The lesbian foster parent is now contesting the policy with the support of the Association, and is doubtless headed for the courts once she's exhausted the provincial government's internal appeals process. PENNSYLVANIA In a hearing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania earlier this month, the judge insisted that the sperm donor who sired a lesbian couple's child by artificial insemination should be a party to their custody struggle. Under the law of the state of Pennsylvania the sperm donor is "the natural father of the child," and Family Court Judge Allan Tereshko felt compelled by that law to order "the natural mother" to provide contact information for the donor. That's fine with the biological mother, known as EPH, although she'd made a formal agreement with the donor at the time of conception, that he would give up any visitation rights and she would give up any rights to child support from him. It's also fine with the donor, who has kept his word about staying away for all five years of his daughter's life, although geographical distance led him to ask to participate in the trial by telephone. But it's not fine at all with lesbian co-mother JAL, who lived with the child from the time of her conception through her first year, but has not been allowed to visit her for nearly three years. Her attorney wants her to be viewed as "standing in the shoes of a parent," a non-custodial parent who like any other would be immediately granted at least some weekend and holiday visitation. JAL in fact had to win a whole separate action just to gain the right to sue for visitation. Neither attorney intends to call the donor as a witness. Trial in this long-running case is scheduled to resume March 25. HAWAII Pro-Family Hawaii has been established to support and strengthen traditional family life in Hawaii and oppose that which threatens or weakens the family. While it is an independent organization, its spiritual base stems from the concern of Star of the Sea parishioners to what is happening to the family, and the legacy we will leave our children, grand children and succeeding generations. Some of the threats to happy, healthy, families currently include: rampant promiscuity, abortion, euthanasia and the effort to legalize same sex marriage relationships in a formal marriage state. Hawaii was the first state to legalize abortion and is currently poised to be the first to legalize same sex marriage, even though more than 70 percent of our people are opposed to doing this. Editor note: Interesting that same-sex marriages are ranked with rampant promiscuity, abortion, euthanasia. NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE RELEASES LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Washington, DC---March 20, 1997----The year started off with a barrage of gay-related activity at state capitals around the country, and the action continues. Nearly 150 gay-related and HIV/AIDS-related measures have been introduced since state sessions began in January according to the latest survey by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). For the second year in a row, marriage measures dominate in number, though activists are taking the offensive in many states with anti-discrimination measures. History may also be made in 1997 where for the first time a statewide pro-gay civil rights initiative may be on the ballot. "The numbers once again illustrate the most important work occurring in the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality is being done by activists at the state and local level," stated NGLTF executive director Kerry Lobel. MARRIAGE: Approximately 46 bills banning same gender marriage have been introduced in 28 states. This includes two bills pre-filed in Kentucky where there is no 1997 legislative session. In two states, Alabama and New Mexico, any person performing a same-gender marriage ceremony would be fined. As same gender marriage is not legal anywhere in the country, all ceremonies performed are private, not civil, ceremonies. Montana's bill has passed the House and soon will be up for a vote in the full Senate. Four marriage bills passed the full legislature. Those in Mississippi and Arkansas were signed into law, while those in Virginia and North Dakota are awaiting action by the Governor. Virginia's Governor Allen is expected to sign the bill. It is unclear what action Governor Schafer of North Dakota will take, though he has stated he believes the legislation is not currently necessary. Four states - Maryland, New Hampshire, Washington, and Wyoming - defeated their anti-gay marriage measures. In Washington, the bill made it to the Governor's desk where it was vetoed. The bill has since been amended to provide for a ballot measure on the issue and if passed, could be on the ballot as early as June of this year. Hawaii and New Mexico both have bills calling for state constitutional amendments. In Maine, an anti-gay group has gathered enough signatures to put the measure on the November ballot. The measure will only reach the ballot if it is not passed in the state legislature. Five states introduced pro-same gender marriage bills - Maryland, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin. Three remain alive, after Maryland's measure died and Nebraska's was indefinitely postponed. CIVIL RIGHTS: Approximately 17 bills favoring basic civil rights for lesbians and gay men have been introduced in at least 14 states. These measures remain alive in 10 states - Arizona, California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, and Washington - and are dead in four states - Arkansas, Colorado, Montana, and Virginia. These measures include adding "sexual orientation" to existing and comprehensive civil rights laws to specifically addressing employment discrimination. New York's measure, introduced for the 27th year, passed the assembly with a record 90 yes votes. In New Hampshire, the Catholic diocese of Manchester spoke out in support of the bill. In Washington, activists have begun a new chapter in the quest for equality. Last week the group Hands Off Washington kicked off a campaign to put an anti-discrimination measure on the ballot. The measure is similar to the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Activists are hoping to gather upwards of 200,000 signatures by July 3 to put the measure on the November ballot. DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP: At least five measures have been introduced in four states. They remain alive in Hawaii and California, while Colorado and Virginia's bills were defeated. In Colorado, activists are battling a bill that would prohibit University of Colorado regents from extending domestic partnership benefits to the same-sex partners of faculty and staff. In Illinois, the Senate is reacting to an ordinance passed yesterday by the Chicago City Council to extend employee benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian city employees. The Senate bill would require municipalities that try to extend government employee health benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian city employees to provide them to the unmarried partners of heterosexual employees as well. The motivation of the bill's sponsor is not to support the provision of domestic partner benefits, but to undermine such benefits to gay and lesbian employees. HATE CRIMES: Hate crime bills that includes crimes based on sexual orientation were introduced in at least nine states - Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia. The Virginia and Montana bills are dead. Ironically, in Georgia, the scene of three recent bombings, including those against a lesbian bar and a women's health clinic, the bill is being tied up in committee because it is considered "too controversial." Georgia currently has no hate crimes law. Legislators in Arkansas and South Carolina, neither of which have a hate crimes law, are considering bills that exclude crimes based on sexual orientation. The Virginia legislature passed a resolution calling for a committee to study hate crimes in the state. Sexual orientation is not listed among the bias crimes to be studied. A number of gay men have been killed in Virginia by a serial killer and last June two lesbians were killed while hiking on the Appalachian trail. The murder has not been solved, and many people fear it may have been a hate crime. FAMILIES: In California, a bill is pending to prohibit discrimination on the basis of marital status in state adoptions. In Georgia, a bill strengthening the role of durable power of attorney was introduced. In the absence of marriage rights, the durable power of attorney is an important legal provision for gay and lesbian families. In Tennessee, activists are fighting a bill that would ban gay and lesbian people from becoming foster parents. SCHOOLS/CAMPUS: In California, a bill banning discrimination against gay students in public schools and colleges was introduced. The Dignity for All Students bill would prohibit bias based on sexual orientation in school employment, curriculum and the treatment of students on campus. Meanwhile, at least three bills adversely affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth were introduced. Two of these measures are what is known as "parental rights" bills. Such legislation is aimed generally at making it harder for schools to teach children about diversity, including about gays. In Washington state, the bill would explicitly ban the teaching of homosexuality as "positive, normal behavior." Also in California, a bill that would prohibit the removal or phase out of armed forces training units or recruiters from public university campuses is pending. A few of California's public post secondary campuses have removed armed forces training units because those programs engage in discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. SODOMY: Measures to repeal sodomy laws were introduced in Arizona and Virginia. Arizona's bill is still alive, while Virginia's died in committee. HIV/AIDS: Numerous bills addressing HIV/AIDS issues have been introduced in at least eight states. The measures range from repealing the compassionate use of medical marijuana to establishing needle exchange programs. This information was gathered by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force from a variety of sources, including news reports, state activists and organizations, state legislative libraries and other organizations, including the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. Due to the large number of bills introduced, it is virtually impossible for this data to be completely accurate and comprehensive. Individuals with information on legislative activity not in this report should contact the NGLTF Field Department at 202/332-6483, extension 3303. SOUTH AFRICA: Anglican bishops apologise to homosexuals (Noel Bruyns, ENI) The bishops of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (Anglican) have publicly apologised to homosexual people who have been hurt by the "unacceptable prejudice" against gays and lesbians within the church. The bishops, meeting in synod in Cape Town, said in a press statement released on 6 March: "As a church we have been responsible over the centuries for rejecting many people because of their sexual orientation. "The harshness and hostility to homosexual people within our church [are] neither acceptable nor ... in accord with our Lord's love of all people. We repent of this attitude and ask forgiveness of many homosexual people who have been hurt, rejected and marginalised because of this deep-seated prejudice," the bishops said. However, they rejected all forms of promiscuity which, they said, dehumanised many relationships. The church's position is that sex is for life-long marriage with a person of the opposite sex for companionship, sexual fulfilment and procreation. The reality is that divorce and remarriage, polygamy, same-sex unions, single-parent families, and persons living together outside marriage do exist. "As a church, we have to find loving, pastoral and creative ways of dealing with all these situations," the statement continued. The bishops called for further study within the church on the subject of homosexuality, in particular with regard to the original Greek and Hebrew of the Biblical texts. "We are unhappy at the tendency in some quarters to attack homosexuals on the basis of simplistic interpretations of certain scriptural texts," the bishops said. The statement, issued on behalf of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Njonjonkulu Ndungane, conceded there was no consensus on the topic of homosexuality among the bishops and within the church as a whole. The bishops undertook to continue to work towards consensus, pointing out, however, that it would be dishonest to force themselves into an artificial consensus in order to satisfy public pressure. The synod discussed the issue after its theological commission tabled a report on homosexuality. ________________________________________________________ To SUBSCRIBE, send an e-mail message to glpcinat@ix.netcom.com saying "subscribe Parents' Network", To UNSUBSCRIBE send an e-mail message to glpcinat@ix.netcom.com saying "unsubscribe Parents' Network" and you will be removed from the list. --=====================_859185582==_--