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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2001)
febmary 2.2001 * ¡m at Mat] j 7 rTÎ77TT7ÎTI news “It is gratifying that the Army has decided to drop the case,” said May, who has been hailed as an exemplary offi cer. “I have always served my country with honor, integri ty and loyalty, and it hurt me deeply that the Army would try to fire me— not for Steve May anything I did...but for who I am and for doing my legislators job. I didn’t ask to go back into the Army, but when called, 1 reported for duty and did my job there. My sexual orientation and my state ments about my sexual orientation have never interfered with my performance as an officer.” In recent evaluations, superiors stated that May had “unlimited potential,” even after the disclosure o f his sexual orientation. In addition, fellow soldiers testified at his administrative discharge hearing in Septem ber that his removal would hurt his unit’s cohesion and morale. FLO R ID A F ocus on the Family filed a lawsuit Jan. 12 against the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Author ity for refusing to run an ad promoting an “ex- gay” conference last year in Tampa. The Human Rights Campaign swiftly came to the defense of county officials, saying they acted wisely in refusing to compromise public health by running an ad tout ing a product that uniformly is condemned by every respected medical and men tal health organization in the United States. “This is not an issue of free speech but one of pub lic health,” said Wayne Besen, H RC associate com munications director. “Pinellas County should not be in timidated into running ex gay ads any more than it should be strong-armed into running ads touting asbestos, cigarettes or other harmful products.” According to a Focus press release, the law suit resulted when the right-wing organization was prevented from advertising its conference held last February at Tampa’s Bell Shoals Baptist Church. The words “Love Won Out: Address ing, Understanding and Preventing Homosexu ality” were printed on the posters. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, which routinely places similar advertisements for other organiza tions, refused to place these posters, claiming they were controversial and violated a policy against ads with “political content.” “Focus officials are not credible when they say their ads and activities are not political,” Besen said. “So-called ex-gays have been used extensively in lobbying efforts to thwart hate crimes legislation and to keep discrimination against gay people legal.” TE X A S emocratic state Rep. Debra Danburg has introduced a bill in the Texas Legislature to remove the state’s sodomy law, which per tains only to same-sex partners. She said her bill is in line with the June 8 ruling by a three- judge panel in response to Lawrence and G ar ner vs. Texas. T he panel agreed with the plaintiffs, two men who were arrested in 1998 for consensual sodomy, that the law was unconstitutional and violated the Equal Rights Amendment of the D “Beauty of Darkness” Texas C onstitution. T h e case is pending before the 14th Court of Appeals with no scheduled date. The Republican Party of Texas has opposed removal of the law and has blocked Danburg’s previous six attempts to do so. Dianne Hardy- Garcia, Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas executive director, said she is optimistic about the bill this time because five of the nine crimi nal jurisprudence committee members have expressed support. Repealing the sodomy law is something her group has worked on for some time, she said. “Because of the recent court case, we have more attention on the sodomy law and another way to fight for the bill.” Hardy-Garcia said she has heard that several conser vative legislators are looking for a way to keep the sodomy law by getting around the court’s decision that it is unfair treatm ent. Sh e said there is „ ~ , talk to introduce a v b bill expanding the sodomy law to apply also to opposite-sex couples. Connie Imboden February lst-24th, 2001 ____ Photographic linage Gallery 240 SW First Avenue Portland. OR 97204 (503) 224-3543 www.photographicimage.com NOTHING L IK E A WARM HOT TU B IN A COLD W IN TER RAIN LANDES HOUSE OF SEATTLE OUR W IN TER SPEC IA L JANUARY-FEBRUARY-MARCH OF 2001 PLEASE CALL AHEAD FOR RESERVATIONS AND SPEAK OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT WHEN YOU RESERVE AND GET THREE NIGHTS AND ONLY PAY — FOR TWO NIGHTS— CA LIFO R N IA reaking new ground in the ongo ing struggle against anti-gay harassment and violence in rural schools nationwide, the American C ivil Liberties U nion filed an expanded federal lawsuit Jan. 24 against a school district in Califor nia’s Central Valley, seeking to elim inate a hostile, homophobic climate and enact systematic reform- T h e lawsuit, filed in U .S. Dis trict Court on behalf of for mer high school student George Loomis and the Gay Straight A lliance Network, charges that because of their actual or perceived sexual ori entation, students are har assed by administrators, teachers and classmates. T h e Visalia Unified Sch ool District’s response, the lawsuit says, is to get gay kids off campus by placing them in inappropriate special education programs. T h e lawsuit claims the hostile environ ment this creates is unlawful under the U .S. C on stitu tion and C alifornia state law. Because kids and their families often are left to fend for their safety, usually alone, A C LU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project director Matt Coles said the lawsuit highlights a national problem. “This case isn’t just about Visalia,” he said. “It’s about a na tionwide epidemic in rural schools, where young people face unspeak able har assment and vio lence because of who they are." j [ 7 ) Com piled by C opy Editor J im R adosta , who can be reached at jim@ justout.com . YOU MUST PRESENT THIS AD AT YOUR TIME OF ARRIVAL TO RECEIVE OUR WINTER SPECIAL 206-329-8781 OR 888-329-8781 ( toll free ) vmmm* mm * V •' ■ ' Iplfii .'£. ; 't' . 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