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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1997)
just out ▼ fob rua ry 21, 1997 ▼ 9 tion a victory even though he says to his knowl edge there is no history of housing discrimination against sexual minorities in Lacey. “This will preclude there from ever being any,” he says. Not everyone is applauding the amendment, however. Tim Seth, president of an association of 300 rental unit owners, told the Tacoma News Tribune he fears the ordinance will result in legal actions that will increase the city’s workload and consume more taxpayer dollars. Washington voters favor recognizing same-sex marriages An Elway poll conducted in Washington state in January yielded some promising results for those involved in the fight for recognition of same-gender marriages. Fifty-six percent of re sponding registered voters said they oppose “with holding legal status to same-gender marriages performed in other states.” Thirty-eight percent said they support such a ban. The poll notes that the results were consistent across all geographic and demographic catego ries. The only demographic group to show a narrow majority in favor of disallowing recogni tion of such marriages was among voters with incomes greater than $60,000 per year. Democrats were opposed by a margin of 58 percent to 34 percent, but Republicans were also opposed, by 52 percent to 45 percent. Virginia to consider civil rights laws A Virginia state senator has filed bills to outlaw hate crimes and discrimination in housing and employment against homosexuals, reports the Fairfax Journal. Although sodomy is a crime under state law and same-gender marriages are explicitly not legal, these proposals are expected to generate less controversy than a third bill submitted by Sen. Patricia S. Ticer, an Alexandria Democrat, which would allow companies to ex tend health coverage to domestic partners. Because present state law deals only with spouses and dependents, companies incorporated in Virginia cannot offer insurance to employees’ domestic partners. Although Ticer’s proposed bill would not require companies to do so and simply makes the option available, other legisla tors have already stated opposition on the basis of increased cost and the belief that such benefits would validate nontraditional relationships. The bill defines domestic partners as “any person who shares a familial relationship with another person characterized by mutual caring and the sharing of a mutual residence,” leaving the door open not only for same-sex and unmar ried heterosexual couples but also for roommates and non-nuclear and extended families. Black gay forum chides Christian Coalition The National Black Gay and Lesbian Leader ship Forum is calling on the religious right to be more inclusive of African Americans and the poor and to make an effort to change the divisive climate created by years of public condemnation of homosexuals. In a letter to Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, BGLLF executive director Keith Boykin criticized the coalition’s recently unveiled Samaritan Project and suggested ways the organization could better work for social and economic justice. Despite the plan’s positive rhetoric—which includes an 8-point agenda for strong families, safe neighborhoods, charitable giving, racial jus tice and revitalizing the church— Boykin said it is only a first step and advised members of the black and sexual minority communities to remain skep tical. Along with making specific recommenda tions on improving the Samaritan Project, Boykin asked Reed to meet with members of the black lesbian and gay community. In order to respond to the Christian Coalition’s Samaritan Project and to foster a dialogue about religion and social justice, the National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum discussed the issue at its 10th annual national conference, held Feb. 13-17 in Long Beach, Calif. In addition, the forum will distribute to churches nationwide cop ies of the award-winning documentary All God's Children, which deals with the role of the reli gious right and gay and lesbian issues in the black church. Louganis gets a rise out of Florida Republican State Sen. John Grant, a Republican from Tampa, Fla., who is chairman of the Senate Edu cation Committee, is pressuring the University of South Florida to cancel a speech by former Olym pic diver Greg Louganis. A com m ittee of students and fac ulty members se lected Louganis to deliver the keynote address for the school’s third annual Gay and Lesbian _ . Awareness Greg Louganis Week. According to an Associated Press story, Grant said the appearance “represents moral decadence,” apparently referring to the fact that Louganis is openly gay and HIV positive. Louganis is being paid $14,000 from student activities fees to de liver the speech. In a Jan. 14 letter to University of South Florida president Betty Castor, Grant threatened to limit future funding for state schools if student money is used to pay for the appearance. Univer sity officials say the speech will take place April 3 as planned. 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