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Virginia Supreme Court
denies lesbian custody
California group fights
tobacco campaign
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled late last
month that a woman’s sexual orientation could put
her son at risk of social condemnation and denied
the woman custody of her child. The justices, in a
4-3 decision, overturned a lower appellate court
ruling that gave Sharon Bottoms custody of her 3-
year-old son Tyler Doustou, according to a Reuters
report.
Custody was awarded to Bottoms’ mother,
with whom the child has lived since 1993.
The justices said their decision was based not
only on Bottoms’ live-in relationship with her
lover, but also on her maturity and stability.
Bottoms is expected to request a rehearing of
the case, but legal experts say that reversals are
rare.
The California Lavender Smokefree Network,
a joint project of the Coalition of Lavender-Ameri
cans on Smoking and Health and Community
Focus, has received a two-year, $200,000 grant to
combat the tobacco industry’s targeting of gay
men and lesbians, according to a story in The
Washington Blade.
The money comes from funds collected by
Proposition 99, the ‘Tobacco Tax Health Protec
tion Act.’’ Proposition 99 money is used to fund
anti-smoking campaigns among groups targeted
by the tobacco industry. The gay and lesbian com
munity has been aggressively targeted by Philip
Morris, the industry giant that produces Virginia
Slims and Marlboro.
According to a report released March 30 by the
Southern Poverty Law Center, more than 25 per
cent of all hate-motivated assaults nationwide com
mitted in 1994 were attacks against gay men or
lesbians. The center’s Klanwatch project verified
18 hate-motivated murders in 1994. Of those, 11
were against sexual minorities. While the number
of assaults rose from 183 in 1993 to 228 in 1994,
the number of murders fell from 30 in 1993 to last
year’s 18.
The Southern Poverty Law Center monitors
hate crimes based on racial, ethnic, religious and
sexual-orientation bias. The center’s information
came primarily from the media and law enforce
ment reports.
Women’s land project
seeks everything
Organizers of Maat Dompin, the Womyn of
Color Land Project, have announced the project is
actively seeking donations to purchase land for a
Womyn of Color Retreat and Conference Center.
Maat Dompin, currently headquartered in West
Virginia, is a nonprofit corporation committed to
creating a safe place for women of color to explore
and share traditional values and perspectives.
Maat Dompin hopes to provide space for con
ferences, retreats and ecological education. It will
also be home to the Institute of Ancient African
Herstory, which will provide a library and study
space for scholars and students involved in the
study of the history of African women and the
histories of other women of color.
For more information, contact: Maat Dompin,
the Womyn of Color Land Project, Auto Road,
Auto, WV 24917, (703) 992-0248 (voice mail).
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Sodomy law repealed
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United Artists Cable of Baltimore City has
joined with Pride Broadcasting to produce Pride
Magazine, a television show that focuses on the
Baltimore, Md., gay and lesbian community. The
pilot show was completed last month. United Art
ists provided studio time, equipment and technical
assistance. Pride Broadcasting provided the hosts,
reporters, story ideas and writing.
The show is now searching for sponsors.
The Pennsylvania sodomy law—declared un
constitutional by the state Supreme Court in 1980—
was finally repeaied by the Pennsylvania legisla
ture. The repeal came as part of an updating and
revamping of the state’s sex-crimes laws.
Although the law has been unenforceable for
the past 15 years, it has been cited by attorneys
trying to deny lesbian mothers custody and visita
tion rights.
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Pride on cable TV
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The City of Olympia, Wash., has extended
employee benefits to the domestic partners of city
employees, regardless of gender. Unmarried part
ners can now receive health and dental care, and
bereavement and sick leave. In a story in Bay
Windows, city human resources director Cathy
Raymond said, “We value a diverse work force,
and the notion of excluding benefits is inconsistent
with that.”
City officials believe 12 to 15 employees—out
of a work force of 500—will use the program.
They estimate this will cost approximately $32,000
a year.
Baltimore
10 %
OFF
Benefits given
Olympia workers
Hate crimes hit
queers hardest
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