ju s t o u t ▼ Ja n u a ry 2 1 , 1094 ▼
Waddell & Reed
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Change from the inside
Donna Shalala, secretary of the U.S. Dept, of
Health and Human Scrv ices, circulated a strongly
worded anti-discrimination policy for employ
ees in her department that includes protections
for sexual orientation. By doing so, the HHS
becomes the fifth federal department that has
issued a policy forbidding discrimination against
gay and lesbian federal employees since Presi
dent Clinton took office last January.
Shalala said in her statement, “My per
sonal commitment to diversity and equality is
long-standing and non-ncgotiable.” Shalala’s
policy differs somewhat with those already is
sued from the Departments of Transportation,
Agriculture, Justice, the Office of Personnel
Management and the White House. A separate
statement issued at the same time directs lop
managers of the HHS on the specifics of carrying
out the policy. Shalala’s policy calls for “provid
ing training on diversity issues, taking measures
where mistreatment of employees exists or per
sists, and clearly communicating the policy by
incorporating it in your internal personnel pro
cesses.” The memo also delineates remedial ac
tions available to employees who feel they have
experienced discrimination or harassment.
This series of departmental directives is, ac
cording to Rep. Barney Frank, the process Presi
dent Clinton is using to protect gay and lesbian
federal workers from discrimination instead of
issuing an executive order. Sources say that an
executive order might provoke appeal measures
from homophobic members of Congress. Frank
said, “By January, it will be made clear that all
civilian employees in the government will be
free of anti-gay discrimination.” Frank also
projects that directives will be issued by agencies
who require security clearances, similar to the
one issued by Attorney General Janet Reno, to
prohibit discrimination against gay men and les
bians in granting and retaining security clear
ances.
Montana’s sodomy
law challenged
Six people from the state have filed a lawsuit
that challenges the state’s sodomy law provision
that makes sex with persons of the same sex a
felony. The state law is the most severe in the
country, say legal experts. Those convicted can
serve up to ten years in jail and be charged fines
of up to $50,000.
Although the law has never been enforced,
Diane Sands co-chair of the gay and lesbian
rights group Pride Montana believes the law “is
an affront to the dignity, privacy and humanity of
Montana’s gay and lesbian citizens.” She added
that the law is damaging because it justifies
discrimination and violence toward lesbians and
gay men.
Rosemary Daskicwicz, an attorney for the
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plaintiffs, said the lawsuit challenging the law is
based on the slate constitution’s guarantee of
individual privacy. She said, “Clearly, if the con
cepts of individual dignity and privacy mean
anything, they must protect the rights of consent
ing adults to engage in acts of intimacy in the
privacy of their homes.”
Earlier last year, the state of Montana rejected
two bills protecting the rights of gay men and
lesbians.
Florida groups fight
homophobic initiative
Twelve civil rights groups have filed a brief
with the state S upremc Court to keep a homophobic
initiative off next November’s ballot. The groups
argue that the proposed amendment to the stale’s
Constitution is misleading, vague, loo broad, un
constitutional and would not only affect gay men
and lesbians but other groups as well.
The amendment entitled "Laws Related to
Discrimination are Restricted to Certain Classifi
cations” contains no mention of gay men, lesbians
orsexualorientation. Rather, the proposed amend
ment forbids the state or any municipality from
recognizing “any right, privilege or protection for
any person based upon any characteristic, trait,
status or condition other than race, color, religion,
sex, national origin, age, handicap, ethnic back
ground, marital status or familial status.” There
fore, the proposed amendment, if passed, would
eradicate legislation currently protecting lesbians
and gay men in four of Florida’s cities and three
of its counties. Moreover, it would prohibit any
future anti-discrimination laws in the state.
In addition, opponents argue, if passed, the
amendment could strike down laws affecting
groups such as veterans, students, corporations
and consumers. ‘T his amendment could void all
consumer protection statutes which provide pro
tections based upon a person’s status or condition
of being a consumer,” the brief says.
The American Family Political Committee of
Florida, an arm of the American Family Associa
tion, is initiating the proposed amendment. A
spokesperson for the group has denied that the
initiative would affect a variety of groups. The
group has made copies of the petition available to
anyone calling the AFA at (800) GAY LAWS.
Callers also receive a cover letter stating, ‘This
petition is designed to stop homosexual activists
and other special interest groups from improper
inclusion in discrimination laws,” and a brochure
entitled, “Are Homosexual Rights Traditional
Civil Rights?”
Florida slate law requires that the state Su
preme Court must certify, in advance, that the title
and text of a proposed amendment accurately
state its purpose, and that the amendment deals
with only one subject.
To the Lesbian and G ay communities ~
Thanks for your support!
Call today for information:
( 5 0 3 ) 238-6036
Eric Brown
Florcid Walker
500 NE Multnomah, Suite 278
Portland, Oregon 97232
J O Y ENTERPRISES
Ron Joy
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