California governor
vetoes AB1
Governor George Deukmejian, saying that
there is not sufficient evidence of discrimina
tion against gays and lesbians to justify the
passage of AB1, vetoed the bill.
The veto ended 12 days of intense lobby
ing by foes and supporters of the gay rights
measure that caused nearly 10,000 letters
and telephone calls daily to the governor’s
office.
In a written veto message, Deukmejian
acknowledged that Californians are “deeply
divided on this issue."
Assemblyman Art Agnos, author of the gay
rights bill, said that that the veto is not the end
of the struggle for gay civil rights and vowed
to introduce A B 1 “ next year, and the year
after that and the year after that until for as
long as it takes to become the law of the
land."
The last gay rights bill in California, which
outlawed criminal penalties for any sexual
behavior between consenting adults in pri
vate, was signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown
in 1975. Every year since then, bills similar to
AB1 have failed in the legislature.
Stanford “Gay
Liberation" sculpture
defaced
“ Gay Liberation,” a sculpture by George
Segal that has been on temporary display at
Stanford University in Palo Alto, California,
was battered by a hammer-wielding vandal
last week.
The sculpture, which features a gay male
couple and a lesbian couple, is being con
sidered by the San Francisco Art Commis
sion for placement at Harvey Milk Plaza at
Castro and Market Streets.
After the attack, Stanford officials removed
the sculpture to a secure location. Almost
immediately after the sculpture was
removed, students and Stanford resident be
gan placing flowers on the concrete slab
which had been the base for the sculpture.
“We feel personally assaulted,” said Jeff
Williams, speaking for the gay community.
“ The sculpture as it stands now, with gouges
and bits and pieces knocked off, is no longer
a m onum ent to gay liberation, but it is tangi
ble evidence of violence perpetrated against
gay people.”
“ Gay Liberation” was commissioned by
the Mildred Andrews Fund of New Orleans as
a monument to the Stonewall Riots of 1969.
Earlier proposals to install the sculpture in
New York or Los Angeles caused contro
versy. A second cast will be installed in
Greenwich Village as soon as funds can be
obtained.
St. Patrick's not for
lesbians and gays
“ It’s disgusting. It would set a bad example
for kids watching the S t Patrick’s Day
Parade.” said Jim Akins, chairman of
Denver’s S t Patrick’s Day Parade in an in
terview on National Public Radio’s All Things
Considered.
Asked if he thought S t Patrick’s Day didn't
represent everyone, Akins said that, “Yes, St.
Patrick’s Day represents everyone, but the
parade does not represent everyone.” Akins
said that participation in the parade might be
dangerous for lesbians and gays because,
“ the Irishmen downtown might start calling
them names. If you let them in, who’s next?
Nudists and Hell’s Angels?”
Denver’s S t Patrick’s Day Parade is the
largest outside New York. Denver’s mayor
has been a participant in the parade since its
inception, but this year Mayor Frederico Pena
elected in 1983, refused to appear in the
parade because of the ban on lesbian and
gay participation.
In the interview, Akins also made perjora-
tive statements about Pena, Denver’s first
Hispanic mayor. Akins said that Pena had not
been around very long, intimating that Pena
was not part of Denver’s establishment
Mississippi gives
women right to vote
After giving it “ due consideration,” the Mis
sissippi Senate last week unanimously
approved a resolution ratifying the 19th
Amendment to the Ü.S. Constitution giving
women the right to vote.
There was no debate on the resolution by
the all-male body and it took only five
minutes for the Senate to act on the proposi
tion. The 19th amendment became part of
the U.S. Constitution 64 years ago.
Ella Fitzgerald
honored
Just Friends
The place for lesbians
Jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, whose 40 +
year career has garnered many honors
including 11 Grammy awards, is the first wo
man to receive the Whitney M. Young award
of the Los Angeles Urban League. Ms. Fitz
gerald was honored for outstanding
contributions toward the improvement of
racial equality. In accepting the award she
said that she will just “ keep on singing."
and gay men who
seek a special
someone.
KBOO RADIO WELCOMES
MEG CHRISTIAN
— with —
D ian e L in dsey & S u e Fink
In celebration of Meg's new album
FROM
THE H
Sign Language Artist:
Debra W estwood
In Concert
SATURDAY, APRIL 21 ST
8 PM
The Northwest Service Center
(C orner o f 1 8 th N W & Everett)
A Genevieve Production
7.50 in advance
8.50 at the door
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
A WOMAN'S Pl.ACF
A COLLECTIVELY RUN FEMINIST BOOKSTORE
2349 SE Ankeny
Portland, OR 97214
236-3609
Just O ut, M arch 30-April 13
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