rmmmnews
he Governor’s Commission on Gay and
Lesbian Youth will commemorate its 10-
year anniversary with a Gay-Straight Youth
Pride Celebration on May 18 in Boston.
“No other event of this kind exists anywhere
in the world,” coordinator Mark Taggart said.
“It’s a jam-packed weekend of entertainment,
education and celebration.”
Among the guest speakers will he U.S. Rep.
Barney Frank, D-Mass.; Anthony Rapp, star of
the musical Rent and the film A Beautiful Mind;
author Christopher Rice; and former televange
list Tammy Faye Bakker. Other scheduled
events include a discussion of queer youth issues
conducted by a panel of gay cast members from
M TV’s The Real World, the first-ever gay and les
bian college fair with more than 44 schools rep
resented, a film festival, a rally and a march.
The commission’s mandate is to make
schools safe and to eliminate harassment, vio
lence and suicide. According to chairman Vin
cent McCarthy, no other state comes close to
matching the services provided for queer youth.
“There are more than 300 high schools in
the state of Massachusetts, and 181 of them now
have gay-straight student alliances,” he said. “If
you think about how much has changed in just
a decade, you realize that this is an extraordinary
accomplishment." •
T
may 17,2002
tive, spoke in favor of the ordinance, saying that
contrary to what opponents claimed, this ordi
nance would benefit businesses. According to
HRC WorkNet, 2,142 employers have nondis
crimination policies that include sexual orienta
tion, including 294 Fortune 500 companies.
N A T IO N A L
arents, Families
and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays
announced May 8 the
selection of David
Tseng, former White
House senior policy
adviser and staff direc
tor for the National
Economic Council, as
the organization’s new
chief executive.
David Tseng
He succeeds Kir
sten Kingdon, who retired May 15. During her
four-year tenure, PFLAG grew from 416 to 486
affiliates nationwide.
“Our advocacy for G LB T equality grows out
of our strong family values," Kingdon said.
“David’s commitment to these values coupled
with his experience in politics and government
will serve PFLAG well in our goal of changing
hearts, minds and policies.”
Tseng begins June 1. “I am honored and
thrilled to have been chosen by PFLAG and
hope to continue the historic, trailblazing civil
rights leadership that PFLAG families and
Kirsten Kingdon have provided,” he said.
A nationally recognized pension and health
P
FL O R ID A
lawsuit challenging a petition submitted by
Take Back Miami-Dade will proceed in the
wake of a decision May 2 in Florida’s 11th Judicial
Circuit Court. The Sept. 10 referendum would
overturn a human rights ordinance
prohibiting discrimination against
gay men and lesbiaas.
Judge Norman S. Gerstein
denied a motion to dismiss the suit,
which charges that Take Back did
not comply with requirements of
Florida law and that the petition was
certified improperly by the Miami-
Dade County elections supervisor. In
particular, attorneys assert the docu
ments are riddled with irregularities
and evidence of fraud.
Save Dade has asked the court
either to reject the petition in its
entirety or to require a signature-
by-signature review of only those
pages that are in compliance with
state and county law. Gerstein
gave Take Back 10 days to answer
the complaint.
The legacy of Anita Bryant (right, eating humble pie in
H ie ordinance was amended 1977) continues to vex Miami-Dade County
in 1998 to prohibit discrimination
care expert, Tseng also served as chief assistant
based on sexual orientation in employment,
treasurer for the city and county of San Fran
housing, financing and public accommodations.
cisco,
a benefits policy adviser for the U.S.
The action came two decades after Anita
Bryant led a successful effort to repeal the coun Labor Department and a private practice attor
ney in Los Angeles. He is the first gay man and
ty’s first gay rights law.
first person of color to serve as PFLAG execu
tive director.
TEX A S
Tseng, 43, earned his undergraduate degree
he Dallas City Council passed an ordi
in English literature from Columbia University
nance May 8 prohibiting discrimination
and received his juris doctor degree from Uni
based on sexual orientation in employment,
versity of California at Los Angeles School of
housing and public accommodations.
Law. He and his partner of seven years, John
The strong backing of Mayor Laura Miller,
Bumim, make their home in Washington, D.C.
who pledged her support during her campaign,
helped in the 13-2 vote. The ordinance exempts
C O N N E C T IC U T
employers with fewer than 15 workers, and fines
he
Connecticut
Legislature passed a bill
of up to $500 will be given to violators.
May 7 extending a variety of legal options
“We are elated with this vote that ensures
to same-sex couples. A compromise from earlier
basic civil rights for people in Dallas,” said Steve
civil union and same-sex marriage measures, it
Atkinson, who has worked with the Dallas Gay
was approved in both House and Senate cham
and Lesbian Alliance, Human Rights Campaign
bers with bipartisan support.
and Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas to pass
Although the bill does not specifically men
the ordinance. “It is long overdue in Dallas and'
tion
same-sex couples, it allows a person to
important for cities anxjnd the country to have
name another person to make medical decisions
these type of protections.”
and choices on life termination, such as organ
D ina Id J. Carty, an American Airlines execu-
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