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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2002)
2 0 * lune 7. 2002 nTÌTTTTTm news PO R TLA N D GAY M E N ’S C HO RU S 3rd A n n u a l Rainbow Ball On«? again the chorus will kick up its heals and spin tunes from the mind altering Disco Inferno Days. So, dust off your platforms, squeeze into your favorite Vanderbilt or Jordache Jeans and boogie, oogie, oogie till you just can't stand it no more. Creative dance attire is encouraged and awards for the zaniest costume will be presented through out the night of groovin' and shakin’. NEW YORK rompted by speculation resulting from a May 20 gossip item in the N ew York Post, New York Mets All-Star catcher Mike Piazza announced at a press conference last month that he is not gay, reopening the public discussion about whether and when an openly gay athlete will be able to play in professional team sports. His remarks were in response to unsubstantiated rumors about Mets manager Bobby Valentine’s comments in the upcoming issue of Details magazine. According to the . . . . . . . . , . . . . n \ / * • * . . Mike Piazza is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo Post, Valentine s suggestion that . t ™ . . . . . . ™ .... . . . . ■ I i n i homer against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh major league baseball is ready ™ _ c. . kt „ .. v„_i inning May 2 9 at Shea Stadium in New York for an openly gay player was cal culated to precede one of his own players coming state Supreme Court to hear exactly how this affects real families— how it affects my family.” out. (Amid intense mainstream news coverage of T he A CLU initially filed the case in state Piazzas press conference, the Post found itself in the spotlight again when sports columnist Wal court three years ago, shortly after Alaska’s voters passed a constitutional amendment barring recog lace Matthews abruptly departed under con nition of gay marriage. Although the suit does not tentious circumstances after he publicly criticized the papers sensationalistic treatment of the story.) seek to invalidate that initiative, attorneys say that in light of the prohibition, using marriage as the “T h e current media frenzy and guessing litmus test for benefits constitutes discrimination game o f ‘W ho is the gay baseball player?’ doesn’t serve anyone unless it leads to a discussion o f the based on sexual orientation and gender, thus vio- larger issue of homophobia in sports,” said Cathy fating the state constitution, which guarantees “all Renna, Gay and Lesbian A lliance Against persons are entitled to equal rights, opportunities Defamation news media director. “And we’d and protections under the law.” hope that Mike Piazza and Bobby Valentine are Last November, an Alaska Superior Court judge right and that the current environment would ruled that the benefits policy does not discriminate allow sports professionals to be open about their because it treats unmarried straight couples no dif- sexual orientation. However, the absence o f ferently than it treats unmarried gay people. Jen- openly gay athletes in team sports tells us pretty nifer Rudinger, Alaska Civil Liberties Union exec- clearly that this is not the case.” utive director, said this reasoning “defies all logic and common sense— of course the state discrimi ALASKA nates against gay couples when it conditions bene fits on a status that gay couples cannot attain.” he American C ivil Liberties U nion filed an appeal May 22 in the Alaska Supreme Court in a case challenging the “C atch -22” of TEXAS the state banning gay marriage and then saying fforts to end discrimination at ExxonM obil marriage is the only way its employees can get 'gained enormous momentum May 29 after a benefits for their partners. T h e same day, an record number of shareholders at the company’s uninsured stay-at-home mother filed a friend-of- annual meeting in Dallas voted to add sexual the-court brief in the case, saying she cannot get orientation to its equal employment opportuni- health benefits through her same-sex partner’s ty statement. job as a public employee— but was denied Med- “W e are extremely heartened by today’s vote, icaid benefits because the government assessed where 23.5 percent of shareholders, representing her need as though the women were married. $63.75 billion in company stock, voted against “I need health insurance— which I can’t get discrimination and in favor o f an inclusive com from my partner’s taxpayer-funded employer pany policy,” said Elizabeth Birch, Human because we aren’t married and 1 can’t get from the Rights Campaign executive director. “W e hope Medicaid ‘safety net’ because we’re treated like this stunning vote encourages the management we are married,” Mari Billington said. “I want our and board of ExxonM obil to adopt an integrated P T T h e O f f i c i a l k i c k o ff t o t h è P r id e N o r t h w e s t W e e k e n d ! 7 0 ’s a n d 8 0 ’s R e t r o D is c o In f e rn o ! To P u rch a se T ic k e ts C on tact: P G M C ( ¡ 5 0 3 - 2 2 6 - 2 5 8 8 or O n l i n e (t w w w . p d x g m c . o r g From left, Shelley Alpem of Trillium A sset Management, the Rev. Roger Wedell of the Dallas Lesbian & Gay Alliance and Elizabeth Birch of the Human Rights Campaign react to the ExxonM obil shareholder vote during a press conference May 2 8 in Dallas
