I
15
serving in the military was in violation of the
1952 European Convention for the Protection
of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
The British government consequently
agreed to abide by the ruling and suspended all
current military investigations of suspected gays
and lesbians.
The case heard in Strasbourg involved four
former members of the Royal Armed Forces who
claimed that investigations into their sexuality
violated their rights to privacy.
In November, the British Defense Ministry
announced that a new military code of conduct
would be drawn up as soon as possible.
Works
McCain met with representatives of Log Cabin
Republicans.
Bush said he would not meet with the group.
8. F alwell and F ollowers
M eet with G ay A ctivists
Profejdional Service
Comfortable Bikeo
n Oct. 24, the Rev. Mel White and 200
other gays and lesbians traveled to Lynch
burg, Va., and met with Jerry Falwell and mem
bers of his Thomas Road Baptist Church.
Falwell told the gathering that, although he
would not change his view that homosexuality
is sinful, he would try to tone down his anti-gay
rhetoric.
No food or lemonade was served at the gath
ering, as had originally been planned; instead,
there were only small bottles of mineral water.
Falwell had been reprimanded by some evan
gelicals for planning to share a meal with “sexu
ally immoral” people.
O
Recumbent* a Specialty!
Open Tuesday-Sunday
230-7723
2025 SE Hawthorne
A smart financial plan
begins with just 7 numbers:
9. C ongress F ails to P ass
H ate C rimes L egislation
6. C alifornia R egisters
D omestic P artnerships
n Nov. 17, the Republican congressional
leadership killed the Hate Crimes Preven
tion Act of 1999, with the White House making
no attempt to save the measure.
n Oct. 2, California Gov. Gray Davis
signed into law a bill that established a
domestic partnership registry for same-sex cou
ples and unmarried elderly couples, ensured hos
pital visitation rights for domestic partners, and
provided health benefits for the domestic part
ners of state employees.
O
i
A
imi
7. G ay I ssues P rominent
in P residential C ampaign
s the 2000 presidential campaign got off to
an early start over the summer, the major
candidates couldn’t avoid addressing gay topics.
The Democrats, in fact, seemed eager to woo
Last-minute efforts to revive the measure
gay voters, with Vice President Al Gore and for
mer Sen. Bill Bradley giving consecutive inter failed as the White House agreed in negotia
views in The Advocate, coming out against Cali tions with Republican leaders to let the bill die.
fornia’s anti-gay Knight initiative and speaking
in favor of gay rights in the workplace.
A
10. U nited A irlines G ives
D omestic P artner B enefits
n early August, United Airlines announced it
would offer full domestic partner benefits to
its gay and lesbian employees.
The announcement came after two years of
court battles between the Air Transport Associ
ation, which represents the major airlines, and
the city of San Francisco, which passed a law in
1997 requiring the companies with which it
does business—including those that lease its air
port—to offer domestic partner benefits equiva
lent to the benefits married spouses receive.
In May, a federal judge ordered the airlines to
offer certain nonhealth benefits. The ATA
asked the judge to postpone the effect of that
decision pending appeal, but on July 30 the
request was denied.
Soon after United’s announcement that it
would offer a full range of domestic partner ben
efits beginning in May 2000, two other major
carriers, American Airlines and U.S. Airways,
said they would start offering such benefits as
well.
I
Bradley went so far as to suggest that sexual
orientation be added to the 1964 Civil Rights
Act, provoking criticism from some gay leaders
who fear such a move would detract from efforts
to pass the federal Employment Non-Discrimi
nation Act.
In the Republican camp, Texas Gov. George
W. Bush made conflicting statements about
whether he would have openly gay people in his
administration, while Arizona Sen. John
238-6036
■ RAWLEY G rau is the editor of Press Pass Q, a
newsletter for people who work tn the gay and les-
bian press.
F'
l
J*
W 1
Eric Brown
District Manager
500 NE Multnomah Portland, OR 97232
503/238-6036
A m 1*
i.LM fl
WADDELL
¿st REED
The people with a plan for you.