su news
thousands of other school employees to join the
lawsuit.
The suit charges that the policy is a form of
reverse discrimination. It also claims the policy
does not comply with Chicago’s very broad
human rights ordinance, which bans discrimina
tion based on sexual orientation.
The ordinance differs from many other simi
lar laws because it includes heterosexuality in
the definition of “sexual orientation.” It also
bans discrimination based on marital status.
Irizarry wants medical coverage for her male
partner of 27 years.
“W hen I was reading the medical plan for
this year, I saw that they have added domestic
partners coverage,” Irizarry said. “I called to see
if I could get my boyfriend covered, but they
told me I have to be of the same sex.”
Irizarry said she supports benefits for gays and
lesbians, but believes they should be extended to
unmarried heterosexual couples as well.
Marilyn Johnson, general counsel for the
school board, defended the policy, saying hetero
sexual couples have the option of getting married
to obtain coverage, while same-sex couples are
forbidden under Illinois law from marrying.
M IN N E S O T A
legal battle between a Minneapolis femi
nist bookstore that has used the name
Amazon since 1970 and the Internet behemoth
Amazon.com was settled by the parties earlier
this month.
The bookstore had sued Amazon.com for
trademark infringement.
A Nov. 4 Associated Press story reports that
under the terms of the settlement, the Min
neapolis bookstore agreed to always use its full
name of Amazon Bookstore Cooperative and
assigned its rights to the Amazon name to Ama
zon.com. The Seattle-based Internet company
will license the name Amazon back to the book
store.
O ther terms of the settlement are confiden
tial.
A
N EW Y O R K
n a ruling issued in early November, the
Appellate Division of the state Supreme
Court unanimously upheld New York City’s
domestic partnership law.
The law provides benefits for the domestic
partners of city employees.
The American Center for Law and Justice
challenged the 1998 law, arguing that the state,
not the city, has the responsibility to establish
laws regarding marriage and domestic partner
ship.
According to various media reports, the
appeals court ruled the city did not overstep the
jurisdiction of the state.
I
New York City has provided medical and
dental benefits to the domestic partners of city
employees since 1993. Last year, the policy was
expanded to grant death benefits to the domes
tic partners of police and other uniformed
employees killed in the line of duty.
New York state does not permit same-sex
marriage.
TEX A S
n September 1998, sheriff’s deputies entered
the bedroom of two gay men and arrested
them on charges of sodomy.
The deputies were investigating what proved
to be a false report of an armed man in the
house.
John Lawrence and Tyrone Gamer were
convicted of sodomy and fined $125 each.
Texas’ sodomy law forbids oral and anal sex
between same-sex partners.
I
"All Texans should have the right
to privacy to do whatever
they wish in their bedrooms
with another consenting adult."
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— Ruth Harlow, attorney for two men
convicted of sodomy
Now Lawrence and Gamer have filed an
appeal of their convictions on grounds it violat
ed their rights to equal protection and privacy
under the Texas and United States constitu
tions, according to a Nov. 3 Reuters report.
“All Texans should have the right to privacy
to do whatever they wish in their bedrooms with
another consenting adult,” said Ruth Harlow,
attorney for the two men.
Harlow described the Texas sodomy law as
“discriminatory and invasive,” and said her
clients are prepared to take the case to the U.S.
Supreme Court.
In an appellate brief, the state argued the
original conviction stemmed from legitimate
government interests in discouraging “immoral
conduct” and promoting “family values.”
At one time, all 50 states had sodomy laws.
Now 12 states outlaw sodomy for both same-sex
and heterosexual couples. Four states have
sodomy laws that apply only to same-sex cou
ples.
■ Compiled by KRISTINE C h ATWOOD, a Portland-
based free-lance writer and longtime Just Out con
tributor.
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