Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1985)
adoption o f Forward Together as the interna tio n a l them e makes a stand o f unity fo r 1986. The conference keynote speaker, GRNL’s Executive D irector Nancy Roth stressed the im portance o f erasing the lines that keep us fro m o u r own. Roth also pointed to the need for educa tio n on every level o f society, says Schmitz. “ Everyone m ust get involved; share your ideas; subm it a design fo r a logo, whatever you do helps us all. Lesbian & Gay Pride begins with you." Parents FLAG plans Portland parley in '86 The Portland chapter o f Parents and Friends o f Lesbians and Gays w ill host the 1986 convention o f the PFLAG organization. Plans fo r the event O ctober 9-12,1986, have been brew ing fo r som e tim e; speakers, w ork shops and perform ances will educate, stim u late and delight the expected 400 national delegates. The 316 day event w ill be held at the W estin Benson Hotel. The them e o f the ’86 conference w ill be focused on religious concerns o f parents, friends, lesbians and gays. "The issue o f how to ju stify hom osexuality w ithin a religious context is a consistent concern o f parents and friends as well as lesbians and gays,” says Kristan Aspen. Aspen and her parents are lo ngtim e gay and lesbian rights advocates and m em bers o f PFLAG. Aspen says that w om en are especially en couraged to offer w orkshop topics and lead ers to conduct them . “ The m ajority o f the in p u t has com e from the male point o f view,” Aspen continued. “ Parents need to know how the lesbian and gay com m unities share som e concerns and differ in others. And they need to know that fem inism is integral to m any lesbians and gay men." For m ore inform ation write Parents and Friends o f Lesbians and Gays, PO Box 23 026 . Portland, OR 97223. Insurance crisis hits home For thirteen years, the Portland Fem inist W om en’s Health Center has operated as a n o n -p ro fit w om an-controlled clinic, provid ing N orthw est w om en w ith high-quality re productive health care, inform ation and referrals. Health care providers across the co u n try face a m alpractice insurance crisis. M any doctors and clinics, regardless o f m edi cal specialty o r “ safety record,” are having coverage cancelled and are unable to find new insurance carriers. Many insurance com panies no longer offer m alpractice be cause o f the high risk o f incurred claim s pay m e n t w hich means lower profits fo r the com pany. W here insurance is available, the cost o f prem ium s has tripled or quadrupled. The crisis w ill have a dram atic im pact on the availability o f all form s o f health care, but w ill m ost affect prim ary care facilities with low -cost o r sliding-scale services. Most abor tio n and fam ily planning providers fall into this category. After twelve years o f successful struggle against political barriers, women now find th e ir access to reproductive health care furthe r threatened by the insurance m arket The Portland Fem inist W om en’s Health C enter’s m alpractice policy expires soon. For several m onths they have conducted a nationw ide search for a new carrier. The only op tion open at this tim e is to join other abor tio n providers in starting a new insurance com pany. To do this, they m ust contribute $27,000 towards initial costs and their first quarter prem ium s. The health center has raised some m onies by cu ttin g their budget and by having physi cians and staff donate part o f their services. They still need m ore and are asking for dona tions. D onations may be sent to Portland F em inist W om en’s Health Center, 6510 SE Foster, Portland, 97206. New custody law affects lesbians, gays by Cynthia Cumfer The O regon legislature recently passed a bill (House B ill 2460) that could have poten tia lly far-reaching im pact on people who, in fa c t act as parents but do not have the legal status o f parents. Since this describes many m en and w om en in the gay and lesbian com m unities, I w ould like to discuss some o f the features o f the bill. This B ill became law effec tive S eptem ber 20, 1985. H ouse B ill 2 4 6 0 allow s any person, in cluding, but not lim ited to a foster parent ste p -p a re n t grandparent o r relative by blood o r m arriage, who has established em otional ties creating a child-parent relationship with a child, to intervene in cou rt proceedings con cerning custody, placem ent o r guardianship o f the child. The B ill also perm its such persons w ith a child-parent relationship to file th e ir ow n proceeding, if no such proceeding is pending, in order to obtain an order provid ing fo r custody, placem ent o f the child, visita tio n rights, o r “ other generally recognized rights o f a pa ren t" However, the B ill specifi cally indicates it does not grant any right to RECORDS i 't - CASSETTES ' c . M U SIC FOR THE N e w a g e ... r' ... At Artichoke Music. Come sample our wordly selection of records and tapes. All Windham Hill titles — still only $8.00. & ARTICHOKE MUSIC n Ì ir e . intervene in a m arriage dissolution case. A ccording to the law, a child-parent rela tio n sh ip is a relationship that continues on a day-to-day basis, through interaction, com panionship, interplay and m utuality, that fu lfills the ch ild ’s psychological needs for a p a re n t as well as the ch ild ’s physical needs. If the person filing the case or intervening in the case can show that that person has maintained this type o f child-parent relationship with the ch ild w ith substantial continuity for tw o or m ore years, that person will be considered to have established what is called a "prim a facie" case o f a child-parent relationship. This m eans that it would then be up to whatever other parties are involved in the case to show why such a relationship does n o t in fact, exist o r should not be recognized. The person fil ing fo r custody, visitation, placem ent or other generally recognized rig h t m ust either estab lish such a “ prim a facie" case in order to get the rights petitioned for, or m ust prove facts show ing that what that party wants is in the best interests o f the child. It is not clear whether House B ill 2460 w ould allow a person who is not a legal parent o f the ch ild but w ho has, in fact, acted as the parent o f the child to legally adopt the child. In one section o f the Bill, the legislature does recognize the rig ht o f a step-parnt to apply for adoption o f the child. The B ill is silent as to w hether it intends that other parties can apply fo r adoption. There are a num ber o f situations of interest to the lesbian and gay com m unities to which this law m ay apply: (1) when a lover dies and the partner wants custody o f the children; (2) when a lover leaves tow n and wants a non- related significant person to have custody of the children; (3) when an ex-partner wants to establish visitation o r custody with the other partner’s children after a relationship breaks up; and (4 ) adoptions, including adoptions where the biological parent o f the same sex keeps her parental status (although it is unclear w hether the law will go this far). This new law is definitely one the lesbian and gay tin g the n o n-b ioio gica l m other to adopt a c h ild she is parenting w ith the biological m other. T his is apparently the first adoption o f th is type g ra n tw l in the U nited States. Cynthia Cumfer has been an attorney in Portland for seven years. Her practice em phasizes the law concerning unmarried couples and families. BACKACHE? “Every thing to make your back feel better ” Chairs for office and home Back cushions for car, home or office Pillows - Relief for headaches and backaches Massage rollers and oils Books - Stress, back care Tapes - Music and self-help Orthopod - Inversion system Extra long shoe horns h at ™ « * San Rafael Shopping Center 1926N E 122ndAve •Portland.OR97230 (503) 255-4516 A World of Difference V IS T A T R A V E L S E R V IC E That's what you get when you make Vista Travel Service your choice for vacation and business travel needs. We make a difference be cause we concentrate on one very important aspect of our business: our customers. We bring you the world with the most complete travel industry resources available anywhere — you get fast, courteous and professional travel service. & 200 S.W. Market St. New Hillsboro location; 5289 NE Elam Young Pkwy D-700 \ IV I I St Ave • P o r t l a n d . OR O i l 09 • 148 01S6 O p e n : 10:3 0 6 :0 0 M o n . Sat. 08Qt >edrpovoU ,te»C t«t*¿ com m unities should be aware of. Special Note: A M ultnom ah County judge recently signed an adoption decree perm it ..w Wayne Boulette Account Representative Vista Travel Service 224-5000 1-800-245-5557 (In Oregon) voi * L'ifcif’oH * t^iil teewdipoci 8» *