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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 4, 1997)
ju s t o u t T aprii 4 . 1 0 9 7 ▼ 5 national briefs Florist DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Under legislation being proposed by U.S. Rep. Tom Colburn (R-Okla.) states would be required to alert people of possible contacts with HIV positive individuals, reports The Associated Press. The measure, which has won the endorsement of the American Medical Association, would also create a national reporting and tracking system for the virus, require testing of anyone accused of a sex crime, allow disclosure of the HIV status of children up for adoption, and require insurers to notify applicants of their HIV test results. The bill “will return sound medical practices to our nation’s public health policy and curtail the spread of the deadly HIV epidemic,” said Colburn, who is also a physician. The Human Rights Cam paign disagrees, however, saying that the mea sure would undermine the authority of local pub lic health officials and has no provisions to help at-risk individuals alter their behavior. ▼ V V Following the departure March 28 of author and historian John D’Emilio from his director ship of the Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Urvashi Vaid assumed the post, the agency said in a press release. D’Emilio has received a fellowship to write a biography of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin; he will remain as a se nior fellow with the Policy Institute. Vaid is an attorney and author of Virtual E quality, and previ ously worked with NGLTF as public information director and as the group’s executive director from 1989 to 1992. ILLINOIS Against a backdrop of noisily protesting anti abortion and church groups, the Chicago City Council voted on March 19 to extend health benefits to same-sex partners of city employees. The 33-18 vote followed more than 90 minutes of emotional debate, according to a United Press International story. Mayor Richard M. Daley strongly supported the ordinance and was ap plauded by civil rights groups for his leadership on the issue. V ▼ V On March 12 the Illinois House Human Ser vices Committee approved a bill that would amend the state’s Human Rights Act to outlaw discrimi nation on the basis of sexual orientation in hous ing, employment, public accommodations and credit transactions, reports the Illinois Federation for Human Rights in a press release. The bill, introduced by Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), the state’s first openly gay representative, and 36 co sponsors, now goes to the full House of Represen tatives for a vote. Twenty-seven proponents of the bill and five opponents contacted the committee before its vote. The IFHR is planning a lobby day April 9 to bolster support for the measure. MICHIGAN A University of Michigan study released March 8 found that 35 gay and lesbian Lutheran clergy who have ignored church laws and remained sexually active have been able to avoid scandal and sustain the strength of their faith. The study examined the lives of 26 male and nine female pastors in the U.S. Evangelical Lutheran Church, according to a San Diego Union Tribune story. All of the pastors had been sexually active, and 21 lived in long-term homosexual relationships, de spite a church rule requiring gay and lesbian clergy to be celibate. “No church policy has stopped these persons from falling in love, from having sex, from being parents...[or] from hearing a call to ordained ministry,” sociologist Carolyn Riehl, director of the study, told reporters. NEW JERSEY World health experts at a Feb. 23 meeting at Princeton University discussed what some called the world’s largest health issue, tuberculosis, re ports The Associated Press. The number of people infected with the airborne disease continues to grow, resulting in some 3 million deaths each year worldwide. The disease continues to spread, the experts say, because of improper treatment, un precedented levels of international travel, refugee crises, and diseases such as HIV/AIDS that de stroy the immune system. With nearly one-third of the world’s popula tion infected with TB and 300,000 children under 15 dying from the disease each year, “nothing that we have done has interrupted the transmission of the disease,” said Dr. Gordon Douglas, president for global vaccines at the drug maker Merck & Co. Six months of daily medication— at a total cost of about $40 in developing countries—can cure the disease, but incomplete treatment often results in drug-resistant strains which can then take years and up to $250,000 to cure. Douglas and other panelists, including consumer advocate Ralph Nader, are pushing for increased funding and better organization of existing campaigns against TB, as well as grass-roots efforts in the United States and abroad. OHIO Civilian employees at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have formed USAF GLOBE, an asso ciation to support sexual minority civilian work ers throughout the Air Force. The name is an acronym for United States Air Force Gay and Lesbian or Bisexual Employees. Founder Stephen Bickford told the Dayton Daily News that although federal law prohibits discrimination against civilian employees for non job related conduct—including sexual orienta tion—and many federal agencies have adopted internal nondiscrimination policies, the Air Force has not yet followed suit. PENNSYLVANIA An anti-gay student group at Penn State Uni versity won official recognition by reversing a student court decision that it violated the institution’s nondiscrimination codes, reports The Associated Press. In early March an appeals board found that STRAIGHT, or Students Reinforcing Adherence In General Heterosexual Tradition, didn’t discriminate in selecting members and gave no indication that it would discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. Recognition means that the 50-member orga nization may use Penn State letterhead and meet in university buildings—and that it will have to admit lesbians and gay men as members. SOUTH DAKOTA When internationally known hot-air balloon ists Jacques Soukup and Kirk Thomas refused to support the annual Governor’s Cup balloon race . last year in protest of the ‘ v state’s ban on same-gen- | j j dermarriages, officials re- 1 /. sponded by canceling the race. But it’s back on, now , that Soukup and Thomas, ^ who co-founded a balloon ■ museum in Mitchell, have sent a letter of apology to Gov. Bill Janklow, also a balloon enthusiast. The race has a new name as well: the Governor’s Challenge. According to a story in the Rapid City Journal, in the letter Soukup and Thomas acquiesced to the governor’s statement that politics has no place in balloon racing. Compiled by Christopher D. Cuttone 775-7334 Mentorship Project Ever wish you knew an adult who really had a clue? 1 - 800 - 779-0735 “For th e usuaci...to unusuad” LU us be y o u rflo ra l a r tis t WedsUngr Special Occasion Sympathy A ll Occasions For Multnomah County gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or questioning youth For more information contact: Phoenix Rising Foundation Vanessa A. Usui at (503) 244-2292, or (503) 223-8299, pager 527-7665 Beaut V ’s CreaUzcns U n ltd . 7815 SE. Pourell Boulevard Portland, Oregon 97206-2350 ^ S K lild is proud to announce a special dinner to benefit O ur House a residential care facility for persons with AIDS Monday April 21 st \Enjoy a me al c/iosen Jr rom < our ; wildly eclectic menu and ywe Our'Jiouse uour much needed support. All procedes to benfit O ur House Tickets are $40 per person and may be purchased at: rWild ¿Abandon 2 4 1 1 S E Belm ont 2 3 2 -4 4 5 8 drop oy by anytim Sun.-Thurs'-5:30-9:30 Fri. & Sat~5:30-10:30 Sunday Brunch-9-2 Alcoholic beverage» not included £>1907. Our Mouse