m arch 1 2 0 0 0 *
“Gov. Owens definitely supports a ban on
gay marriage and will sign that bill if it reaches
his desk,” spokesman Dick Wadhams said.
Opponents of the ban say it is driven by big
otry and a desire to demonize gay men and les
bians.
“If you have a relationship based on love, I
don’t think you should ban it, you should
embrace it,” said Rep. Tom Plant, D-Nederland.
The measure narrowly passed in a 33-32
vote.
MAINE
state senator is sponsoring legislation that,
if passed, would place a gay rights initiative
on the November ballot.
Sen. Joel Abromson’s bill is currently before
a legislative committee. It is expected to move
through the committee and be passed by both
houses, reports PlanetOut.
If the Portland Republican’s measure dries
make it to the ballot, it will be the third time
Maine voters have faced the issue of sexual
minority civil rights at the polls.
In 1995, voters rejected a measure that
would have forbid
den the addition of
any more protected
categories to the
state’s civil rights
law. Then, in 1997,
civil rights protec
tions for gay men
and lesbians were
approved by the Leg
islature and signed
into law by Gov.
Angus King; howev
er, a special election
in 1998 repealed the
legislation.
The new measure would make it illegal to
discriminate based on sexual orientation in
employment, credit, housing and public accom
modations.
“I am here because, following the people’s
veto, nothing has changed in Maine,” said
Abramson. “It is still legal to discriminate
against job and mortgage applicants because of
their sexual orientation; it is still legal to deny
people rental units or to charge them more
because of their sexual orientation; it is still legal
to keep Maine people out of public accommo
dations based on their sexual orientation. And
that is just not acceptable. It is just not the
Maine way.”
Speaking at the committee hearing, Christ
ian Civic League leader Michael Heath warned
that the measure would lead to same-sex mar
riages and “the affirmation of homosexuality as
morally normal, and perhaps inevitable for
some, in our schools.”
Both the governor and state Attorney G en
eral Andrew Ketterer support the bill, which has
also garnered the support o f the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Portland.
A
NATIONAL
he Human Rights
Campaign, a nation
al gay and lesbian politi
cal
organization,
has
endorsed Vice President A1
Gore, a Democrat, for presi
dent.
The announcement came
Feb. 11 at a West Hollywood
press conference attended by
Gore.
Said H RC Executive Director
Elizabeth Birch: “Al Gore under
stands that words create dreams,
but actions create results. He has
demonstrated a thorough under
T
standing of our issues, not just rhetorically, but
historically. He has a long, tangible record of
support and has championed our quest for free
dom in both word and deed.”
She cited Gore’s lobbying support for the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a federal
bill that seeks to bar sexual orientation discrim
ination in employment.
"'* ay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defama-
3 tion representatives met with executives of
Paramount Television on Feb. 14 to discuss an
upcoming series featuring the controversial
radio personality Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who
has maligned homosexuality on air.
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WHE
T he parties issued a joint statement: “The
meeting created a dialogue that is expected to
continue. In the meeting, Paramount discussed
the format of the television show, which will
vary from Dr. Laura’s radio show, in that there
will be many points of view derived from a vari
ety of sources, guests and a studio audience.
“T he ground rules for the meeting included
not discussing who was in attendance nor the
specifics of the conversations. The reasons for
this were to bring the conversations over the
next months to a more focused and direct
exchange of information and viewpoints. This
was to minimize each of the interested parties
‘speaking’ to each other through the media. We
agreed to talk openly during these early discus
sions of the television show’s format develop
ment, so that our community’s concerns will be
heard by the show’s decision makers.”
G LA A D is a watchdog organization dedicat
ed to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and
inclusive representation of sexual minorities in
all types of media.
DOLAN
DES
G N S
VERMONT
O
n March 1, the Vermont House Judiciary
Committee voted 10-1 to approve a bill
that would create “civil unions” for same-sex
couples.
The measure grants all the benefits and
rights of marriage the state can legally offer, but
it cannot grant the tax advantages and hundreds
of other benefits that the federal government
provides.
According to The Associated Press, the only
vote against the bill came
from a committee mem
ber who argued same-sex
couples should be granted
full marriage rights— equal
to what married heterosex
uals receive.
T he
Ways
and
Means Committee still
must review the bill before
it goes before the full House. Accord
ing to media reports, it is not likely to
go to a floor debate until the middle of the
month.
Gov. Howard Dean supports the measure.
■ Com piled by K R I S T I N E C h A T W O O D , a Portland
resident and longtime Just Out contributor.
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