ITFTffiWTI news
adoptive homes in 1998. T hat increase result
ed from a special financial incentive the state
offered people adopting children out o f foster
care.
But recently released 1999 adoption figures
show a 12.5 percent decline in Florida adop
tions, from 1,549 to 1,355. T he bonus grants,
under a 1997 federal law, are awarded to states
that increase the number of children who are
adopted out of foster care. News of the drop in
adoptions and the funding impact first was
reported in the Miami Herald and verified
Sept. 26 by the ACLU.
“Statewide, children are languishing in foster
care while they wait for permanent, loving
adoptive homes,” said Howard Simon, Florida
ACLU executive director. “The ban on gay
adoption keeps these children in foster care.
And now the state is losing much-needed funds
because of it.”
In May 1999, the A CLU and the Children
First Project filed a class-action lawsuit chal
lenging Florida’s adoption ban on behalf of chil
dren who are being denied adoptive homes and
the gays and lesbians who wish to adopt them.
In recent months, the state twice has asked a
federal judge to dismiss the case, but the lawsuit
continues.
"This case raises serious and troubling ques
★ ★
tions about Florida’s handling of child welfare,”
said Michael Adams, ACLU Lesbian and Gay
Rights Project associate director. “State and
national experts on children’s well-being agree
that children are best served when adoption is
determined case by case rather than through
broad ‘cookie cutter’ policies like this one.
W e’ve always known how much this policy
hurts Florida’s children. Now we also know
how much money the state is willing to pay to
discriminate.”
CALIFORNIA
he controversial Dr. Laura talk show
I already is in trouble, The Associated
Press reports. Production recently was halted
for a week amid low ratings and protests from
gay activists, but a spokeswoman denies any
thing is wrong.
Linda Lipman says the move was part of a
preplanned hiatus. The break will give Para
mount a chance to retool Dr. Laura Schles-
singer’s daytime show, according to Sept. 22’s
Los Angeles Times and New York Post.
However, critics wonder why a 1-week-old
program already would need a facelift. Most
agree Schlessinger’s tame television persona is to
blame for viewers’ lack of interest.
In
addition,
the
Internet
site
StopDrLaura.com continues to mount pressure
on all sponsors whose advertisements appear
during the talk show. Coca-Cola was forced to
issue a statement Sept. 22 in response to angry
viewers’ calls.
“The Coca-Cola Company has not directly
purchased advertising on the Dr. Laura televi
sion show, either nationally or locally, and the
show is not part of our planned buy for 2000,”
the document read. “Any Coca-Cola advertis
ing that viewers may have seen on the show was
placed in error by a local television station. We
have instructed the local television stations
where we advertise to adhere strictly to our
media plan.’ • j n
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2000 CH EVRO LET
O VERSTO CK SALE
Compiled by Copy Editor JlM R AD O STA, who
can be reached at jim@justout.com.
CAMPAIGN
2000
★ ★
federal immigration law. The bill, called
ice President A1 Gore called for grant
the Permanent Partners Immigration
ing gays and lesbians the same
A ct of 2000, has 53 co-sponsors in
immigration rights as heterosexual
the House of Representatives.
married couples during an M TV
“Choose or Lose” town hall at the
♦s-
University of Michigan. In re
ajor
national
gay and les
sponse to a question about immi
bian organizations have
gration rights for lesbian and gay
combined forces to educate voters
couples, he said, “T he rights that
about
presidential, House, Senate
are afforded an American who gets
and
gubernatorial
candidates.
married to someone from another
GayVote.com, a nonpartisan In
country should be afforded under a
Al
Gore
ternet site produced in conjunc
legally protected civic union in the
tion
with the National Gay and
same way.”
Lesbian Task Force, the Human Rights Cam
Suzanne Goldberg, Lesbian and Gay
paign and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund,
Immigration Rights Task Force board of
provides
facts about the candidates and their
directors chair, commented: “Lesbian and gay
stands on gay issues.
binational couples are constantly tom apart
“This year’s election is one that comes
by discriminatory U .S. immigration laws. We
along
once in a generation,” said Elizabeth
applaud the vice president and look forward
Toledo, National Gay and Lesbian Task
to working with him to secure for all Ameri
Force executive director. “It has the poten
cans— gay and nongay alike— the right to be
tial to dramatically reshape the political
together with the person they love.”
landscape— for better or for worse— for the
A total of 14 countries including the
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender com
United Kingdom, Israel and South Africa—
munity. GayVote.com is an important and
but not the United States— recognize gay
indispensable part of the coalition that is
and lesbian partnerships for the purposes of
educating, mobilizing and turning out the
immigration. In February, U .S. Rep. Jerrold
G L B T vote. Together, we can build a world
Nadler, D-N.Y., introduced legislation that
free of oppression, hate violence, homopho
would provide to same-sex couples all the
bia and bigotry.”
privileges that accrue to legal spouses under
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