j u s t o u t ▼ a p r ii 10. 1 9 0 6 T 7
national briefs
CALIFORNIA
San Francisco’s new Main Library opened
April 18 with a unique and historic archive. The
library contains the James C. Hormel Gay and
Lesbian Center, named for the gay philanthropist
who is its biggest benefactor. The center is the
first specifically devoted to documenting gay and
lesbian history and culture in a public library.
The library’s growing archives include late
Supervisor Harvey Milk’s collection, the papers
of journalist Randy Shilts, the papers of Naiad
Press founder Barbara Grier, early video footage
by documentary filmmakers Rob Epstein and
Peter Adair, and many items from the archives of
the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of North
ern California.
To protect the collection from the winds of
political change, the collection endowment is
controlled by a board with a strong gay presence.
V
V
V
School district trustees of the Glendale Uni
fied School District Board are considering a pro
posal that would require students to get their
parent’s permission before joining most school
clubs. Although the district’s plan involves more
than gay and lesbian clubs, the district’s superin
tendent did not request a legal opinion on the
parental permission issue until after lesbian and
gay students at Hoover High School asked to
form a regular club.
CONNECTICUT
Upholding a lower court ruling that banned
military recruiters from the University of Con
necticut Law School, the Connecticut Supreme
Court cited the military’s “current discrimination
against gay men and lesbians.” In the 3-2 decision
the court held that the “don’t ask, don’t tell”
policy violated a state anti-discrimination law,
the Associated Press reported.
The suit was filed by the American Civil
Liberties Union in 1992 on behalf of gay and
lesbian students who charged that the state vio
lated their rights by allowing an organization that
discriminates against gay men and lesbians to
recruit on state property.
COLORADO
Several transgender people were cited in March
for using the women’s restroom at a Denver Red
Lion Inn. They were at the hotel to attend a local
drag event. Unable to find any law that had been
violated by the transgender people, the police
finally decided to charge them with “disturbing
the peace,” a General Sessions citation that re
quires a public courtroom appearance in Denver.
Hotel Security Chief Robert Higdon claimed
that a “hysterical woman” had complained that
men were in the women’s restroom. He then
posted security guards outside the restrooms. The
guards watched event participants enter the bath
rooms, then followed them in and arrested them.
Some of those arrested were transsexual-iden
tified, on hormones and living full time as women.
Some carried papers from their doctors explain
ing their status and that they were under treat
ment. The police refused to make any exceptions.
CYBERSPACE
An electronic forum for Arab- and Middle
Eastern-identified queers now exists on the Inter
net. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to
majordomo@queemet.org. The message must
say: subscribe queerarabs [insert your e-mail
address].
DISTRICT O F COLUMBIA
“V ital Signs: A C elebration o f Essex
Hemphill,” a multimedia showcase of the late
Hemphill’s works, was presented at Hine Junior
High School on April 16.
Hemphill, a black gay writer and activist,
used his poetry, essays and activism to address
the cutting-edge issues facing Black America
and, particularly, black gay men. He produced a
number of books of poetry, edited the black gay
anthology Brother to Brother and received sev
eral literary awards and fellowships. His work
appears in the films of Isaac Julien and the late
Marlon Riggs.
FLORIDA
The Sixth Annual Gay and Lesbian Day at
Walt Disney World in Orlando is scheduled for
June 1. A full weekend of activities is scheduled
Are you ready for H
o n est
A
n sw ers
about protecting your financial future?
I've worked with many organizations in our
community to chart a course for their future.
I can do the same for you.
Whether you're single, or in a partnership,
we can work together to find better ways to
manage your money now, while planning
for a better future.
C a ll for a free consultation.
Waddell & Reed
503 238-6036
800 684-5245
E r ic D . B r o w n
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ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE
FINANCIAL SERVICES
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500 NE Multnomah, Suite 278, Portland, Oregon 97232
May 30-June 3. More than 40,000 visitors are
expected to attend.
For information, contact organizers at their
Web site at http://www.gayday.com or e-mail
them at info@gayday.com.
KENTUCKY
The Kentucky General Assembly adjourned
its 1996 session without passing a single piece of
anti-gay legislation. Thirteen proposals, most in
troduced by conservative Republicans with ties to
the radical right, were either buried in committee
or failed to make it to the floor for a vote.
Among the bills introduced were three differ
ent proposals to re-criminalize same-sex sexual
activity between consenting adults; four to bar
same-sex marriages, whether performed in Ken
tucky or another state; three to allow ballot initia
tives, thus opening the way for ballot measures
like Oregon’s Measures 9 and 13; three AIDS
bills, two of which would have required public
schoolteachers to teach that “homosexual sod
omy” is the primary method of contracting HIV;
and a bill to prohibit a person with HIV from
getting a cosmetology license. A proposal to
increase insurance premiums for people with life-
threatening diseases like cancer and AIDS was
also defeated during this session.
C H R IS
STEVENS
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I n JANUARY OF 1991.
G ail S hibley
became the first openly
L egislator
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BLAZING A TRAIL FOR THE 5 OTHERS
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NEW YORK
Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings signed into law
a measure establishing a domestic partnership
registry. The city’s Common Council passed the
measure over conservative protests that the city
was eroding the family by legitimizing unmarried
cohabitation.
The law applies to both heterosexual and ho
mosexual couples.
TEXAS
Victims of anti-gay hate crimes and other
incidents can now call a new, nonprofit, toll-free
hot line for information and referrals. The Gay
and Lesbian Victims’ Assistance Hot Line is a 24-
hour project of LAMBDA Services Anti-Vio
lence Project. Located in El Paso, the hot line is
staffed by trained volunteers. Callers may remain
anonymous. All information is kept confidential.
The hot line will assist people who have experi
enced violence, as well as those who have been
the victims of discrimination, harassment or van
dalism.
The hot line number is 1-800-259-1536. For
more information, write PO Box 31321, El Paso,
TX 79931-0321; e-mail avproject@aol.com; or
call (915) 533-6024, fax (915) 534-7778.
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PAID FOR AND AUTHORIZED BY RIGHT TO PRIVACY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE,
921 SW MORRISON. SUITE 546. PORTLAND. OR 97205 • (503)228-5825