October 20. 2000
news
k ' m i u h
“The G O r leadership has acted with cal
lousness toward the thousands of Americans
urging federal action against the increasing
number of violent hate crimes that have arisen
throughout our nation," said Ralph G. Neas,
president of People for the American Way,
which has worked with the Leadership Confer
ence on Civil Rights to persuade Congress to
expand federal law to cover crimes motivated
by the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or
disability. "T h e hate crimes provision has
received bipartisan support in both chambers
and the unwavering hacking of the Clinton
adm inistration. In June and September,
Democrats and Republicans in both chambers
urged the Senate conference committee to
keep the hate crimes language within the
defense authorization bill. It is shameful that
the Senate conference committee has decided
to ignore bipartisan support for an expanded
hate crimes law.”
T h e provision would have expanded the
list o f people already covered under a 1968
federal law and allowed federal prosecutors to
pursue a hate crime case if local authorities
failed to do so. In a statem ent issued O ct. 5,
President C linton denounced the Sen ate’s
action, saying its leaders “have turned their
backs on legislation designed to send the mes
sage that all persons should be treated the
same under the law.”
he U.S. Supreme Court will not hear a
1 challenge to whether the for
mer partner of a lesbian mother
is entitled to visitation with
the twins she helped raise
since birth. At issue was
a New Jersey Supreme
Court ruling in April
that the nonbiologi-
cal mother maintains
legal
rights after
breaking up with the
biological mother.
T he
American
Civil Liberties Union,
co-counsel for the non-
biological mother in the
U.S. Supreme Court pro
ceeding, hailed the O ct. 10 decision as a victory
for children, families and equality.
“The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear
this case certainly doesn’t signify explicit
approval of the lower court’s decision,” said
Leslie Gxtper, staff attorney at the A CLU Les
bian and Gay Rights Project. “But the court’s
decision not to intervene left an important vic
tory for lesbian and gay parents intact, so we’re
very pleased.”
The case, M.J.B. v. V.C., revolved around
twins who were raised jointly by their biological
mother and her partner, known in court records
as “V.C.” She and her partner, who began dating
in 1983, purchased a home together and com
mitted to each other in a religious ceremony.
They raised the children together until their
breakup in 1996. An appellate court granted
V.C. the right to visitation with the twins. In a
landmark ruling in April, the New Jersey
Supreme Court upheld that decision and out
lined broad standards for nonbiological parents,
recognizing that “psychological parenthood”
could entitle them to visitation or custody of
children.
The ACLU had argued that when an adult
fills a parental role, the children’s bond with the
adult should be respected. Several states, includ
ing Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Wiscon
sin, have legal frameworks for “psychological
parenthood” similar to New Jersey's, and other
states are grappling with how to protect chil
dren’s bonds with people who act as parents.
“The U.S. Supreme G turt’s decision not to
hear this case tells states that they must resolve
this important aspect of family law,” Cooper
said. “As we have for years, we will help them do
this in a way that strengthens families and
ensures equality.”
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L n g lis h I ir e p l. n <*s
/I gay couple, David Gcxxlhand and Vincent
Griski, made history in higher education
philanthropy Oct. 11 by announcing a $2 mil
lion contribution to their alma mater, the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, during a campus event
celebrating National Coming Out Day.
Their gift will help renovate
Carriage House, a historic cam
pus structure that will house
the university’s Lesbian
Gay Bisexual Transgen
der Center— one of the
oldest and most active
in U.S. higher educa
tion. The contribution
is the first and largest
of its kind to directly
benefit an LG BT
campus community,
and it officially kicks
off a $5 million fund
raising campaign to
complete the center’s construc
tion and endow its programs.
“Our gilt expresses our warm memories of
Penn, where our relationship began, and in
our belief in the limitless possibilities for les
bian and gay people,” Goodhand said. “The
university provided an open, safe environ
ment that allowed us to grow as individuals
and in our relationship together. It is a rare
pleasure for us to be able to give back in such
a meaningful way.’ ’ i n
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Compiled by Cofry Editor JlM RADOSTA, who
can be reached at jim@justout.com.
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CAMPAIGN
2000
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