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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1994)
j u s t o u t ▼ July 1, 1 9 9 4 ▼ 5 national briefs CALIFORNIA AT&T has placed its first advertisement in a queer publication. The Advocate. The ad is seen as a major policy change. According to A1 Parso, spokesman for the company’s gay and lesbian employee group, “AT&T has included sexual orientation in its nondiscrimination policy for nearly 20 years but has never advertised in [queer] media.” ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ The San Francisco Board of Education has released a report on the school district’s contro versial Junior Reserve Officer Training Program. The report is the result of the city attorney’s investigation into the program, after several ca dets were severely beaten by the rest of their drill team in February. Despite overwhelming evi dence that JROTC programs systematically teach hatred and violence, most education board mem bers asserted that the beatings were an isolated incident. “The JROTC brings the homophobia of the military right into our children’s schools,” said A1 Kielwasser, spokesperson for the Gay and Les bian Alliance Against Defamation. “It is outra geous that the San Francisco School District con tinues to support a program that teaches today’s schoolchildren to be tomorrow’s gay bashers.” DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA In late May, Montgomery County Council members voted 6-1, with two abstentions, to repeal a provision in the human rights law that legalized job discrimination against gay men, lesbians and their supporters who work with chil dren. Besides targeting sexual minorities, the Hanna Amendment has been criticized for being unconstitutionally vague. It said that employers could discriminate against anyone who “advo cates” homosexuality or bisexuality and works with children. The repeal came in time to be celebrated during M ontgom ery C o u n ty ’s LesBiGay Pride Day, June 11. Bonnie J. Berger, co-chairwoman of the Gay and Lesbian Interests Consortium said, “People have been asking us, ‘Well, what’s next?’ I say let us bask in the glow of this, you know, even for 24 or 48 hours, and then we’ll tackle the next thing. Victory is so sweet, and sometimes so elusive, that I’d rather linger in it for just a moment.” T ▼ ▼ ▼ Cryptosporidium has killed numbers of AIDS patients who acquired the parasite through drink ing tap water. Eighty-eight people with AIDS died in Milwaukee, Wis., and 19 in Las Vegas, Nev., after outbreaks of the organism in the cities’ water system. Dr. Jon Kaiser, a San Francisco physician, recently told Gay Games athletes who are HIV positive not to drink New York City tap water. Kaiser’s warning was included in a health advisory that was distributed to 10,000 partici pants. Other health professionals disagree that tap water is dangerous to people with AIDS and state that before they will recommend bottled or fil tered water a major study must show a major danger. T ▼ T ▼ An amendment aimed at restricting federal funds for universities that ban military recruiters or Reserve Officer Training Corps was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in early May. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Gerald Solomon (R-N.Y.) seeks to stop the National Science Foundation from giving grants and con tracts to recipients that have such bans in place. Some universities have used this measure as a means of speaking out against the military’s ban on gay men and lesbians. Attempts were made to have the amendment declared non-germane to the bill it rides. How ever, Solomon changed the wording so that this was no longer an option, and the bill passed its first test. Gregory King, a spokesman for the TWENTY-THIRD AVENUE Human Rights Campaign Fund, said he and oth ers will be watching movement in the Senate on this legislation and will be working to prevent this amendment from being passed. T ▼ ▼ ▼ In a speech given at the National Minority AIDS Council’s "Our Place at the Table” confer ence, U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders stated that the AIDS epidemic is devastating communi ties of color. Listing statistics that show AIDS disproportionately affects people of color in the U.S., she asked, "What does being at the table mean? In the world of AIDS, it means knowing how to write a grant, how to put together a comprehensive plan, how to present yourself to the decision-makers.” B O CM C S 1015 NVV 2 Jrd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97210, (503) 224-5097 Monday-Friday 9 :3 0 - 8 pm □ Saturday 10 am - 8 pm □ Sunday 11 am - 4 pm REPORT H0M0PH0RIC VIOLENCE “ AFFORDABLE V A C A TIO N S GAY AN D LESBIAN PACKAGES (503) 684-1236 • FAX (503) 620-5184 HEAVILY DISCOUNTED AIR & CRUISE PACKAGES BUDGET PRICES FOR... M RSVP Cruises June 18-26, *94 Olivia Cruises Gay Games/Stonewall Package _ Mexico Hawaii South Pacific Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders NMAC was founded in 1987 and represents some 450 groups, primarily community-based AIDS service organizations which serve people of color. Las Vegas Reno Buying or Selling? Let me give you a hand. You deserve representation whether you are selling or buying real estate. MlUynn is one of the few top agents in Portland who offers buyers the same level of representation that sellers have traditionally counted on. American Airlines has decided to join the International Gay Travel Association, which rep resents more than 800 gay and lesbian companies in the travel industry. American is the first major U.S. airline to participate in the 11 -year-old asso ciation. The airline recently came under fire for dragging a person with AIDS off one of its flights. As a result, the company is working aggressively to increase its employees’ awareness of AIDS and has become the first major carrier to adopt an employment policy that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation. And, of course, Millynn continues to offer top personalized service to sellers, bringing you top dollar with the least amount of hassle. Call now for a free market evaluation if you need to sell before you buy your next home! 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And while 68 percent of white HIV-positive pa tients are prescribed AZT, an anti-viral medicine, less than 48 percent of black HIV-positive pa tients receive the drug. Dr. J. Jarrett Clinton, of the federal agency that sponsored the study, con cluded, "The racial differences in use of drug therapy suggest a need to ensure uniform access to care for those who are HIV positive.” Multi-Million Dollar Producer Your Real Estate Professional (503) 287-9632, x.122 Mobile/Voice Mail 720-4642 * • • » i • * • » I M illynn James, cri Associate Broker I rofessionals I O O ¡REALTORS: Y start by listening . ” - Specializing in classic and restorable homes in Portland's established neighborhoods - See Classified for this m o n th ’s selected listings. My pledge for 1994: To donate/invest at least 10% of my commissions back into the lesbian and gay community. * * — - - - - - - - - - ........................... » « 4 « «