January 5.2001 * k7‘ii[i j :iL\mnews The 13th International AID S Conference was held last July in Durban, South Africa, the first such gathering in a developing nation hard hit by AIDS. No scientific break­ throughs were announced. The primary focus was on changing the political, economic and research landscapes to assist those nations most devastated by the epidemic. A who’s who of lesbian health gathered last Sep­ tember in Washington, D.C., for the first National Conference on Lesbians and Cancer, organized by the Mautner Project. It called for breaking down the barriers of ignorance, homophobia and access that result in lesbians receiving less-than-ade- quate health care. Healthy People 2010 is the massive document pre­ pared by the Department of Health and Human Serv­ ices that will guide the fed­ eral government’s health care activities during the Showtime’s Queer as Folk pushed the envelope in 2000 next decade. The gay, les­ last major telecommunications company to join bian, bi and trans community was absent from an the list. early version of the report. Protests by the Gay Virtually all high-tech companies offer and Lesbian Medical Association and others led to inclusion in a later version. But.they were domestic partner benefits in order to attract the shocked to learn most of those additions had been best work force, and the trend is working its way cut when the first public draft of the report was down the corporate food chain. It will be inter­ released. A series of meetings and protests got esting to see if the slowing economy dampens many of those cuts restored in the final document this trend. Religion continued to grapple with gays and released last fall. lesbians and the issue of marriage. Progress was more individual than institutional as pastors and individual churches increasingly came to aw and ociety embrace all believers regardless of their sexual nti-gay violence reared its ugly head in orientation. The Vatican continued its tradition of numerous places across the country, too often bringing death and mourning. But from homophobia. In May it barred Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert California to West Virginia to Nugent, founders of the New Virginia, the murderers were Ways Ministry, from writing apprehended, and prosecu­ or speaking about homosexu­ tion continues apace. Law ality. In July it lambasted and enforcement officials increas­ tried to shut down the inter­ ingly are treating these crimes national gay pride festival in in the professional manner Rome, while in December it they should. embraced Joerg Haider, the Federal hate crimes legis­ neo-Nazi former leader of lation passed the Senate in Austria, with a private audi­ June by a surprising margin of ence with Pope John Paul II. 57 to 42. That edge is sure to The United States saw two grow, as several opponents very different images of gay were defeated for re-election people through their televi­ in November. The House sion. “The naked fat guy,” passed a procedural measure Father Robert Nugent Richard Hatch, emerged as in support of the legislation the Survivor on that summer blockbuster—and in September, by 232 to 192, but the bill died with it a mix of grudging admiration and a in a conference between the two chambers. degree of normalization of gays. Local jurisdictions continue to add Queer as Folk dipped a toe into the sexual orientation to their nondis­ sexual part of orientation among a crimination protections at a pace that younger party crowd, although the is difficult to follow. Atlanta and Nas­ fact it was on cable meant a much sau County, N.Y., which sprawls smaller audience. across Long Island, are the latest to Although social conservatives join the list. The major disappoint­ issued their typically apocalyptic ment was the state of Maine, where a news releases, few people paid them ballot initiative lost by a slim margin much heed. My how times have in November. Sister Jeannine The private sector has been mov­ changed. Gramick ing just as rapidly in offering domestic partner benefits for gay, lesbian, bi and trans B o b ROEHR is a free-lance reporter based in families. In December, BellSouth became the Washington, D.C. L Columbia County’s Premier Real Estate Resource. Country living only 20 minutes from downtown Portland. 3ohn 1. Scott t=* REAL ESTATE NEWEST INNOVATIVE LASER TECHNOLOGY TREATING ALL SKIN TYPES •Laser Hair Removal •Micro Dermabrasion Peels •Veins & Vascular lesion ablation Free Consultations • Walk-ins Welcome 10588 S .E W A S H I N G T O N ( 503) 255-3588 / .v S A in It’s the way we live... and it’s the way we bank. g lb a n k .c o m & L internet Dank HW C^ F0UA1 HOUSM LENDER ( m all 205 Plaza) Monday Thru Saturday 9AM-8PM & - 17