20.2002
24
A Year o f Political
Normalization
he year saw many small steps and
consolidation of social and legal
gains for the sexual minorities
community across the country.
W hile there were disappoint
ments, there were no serious setbacks.
Wrapping up the year was an early Christmas
present: T he New York Legislature passed a
nondiscrimination hill Dec. 17, ending a 30-
year struggle and making it the 13th state to
offer such basic protec
by Bob R oehr
tions to its citizens.
President Bush con
tinued to appoint few Trade Center. It is believed to he the first time “don’t ask, don’t tell” remains all too much in
the survivor of a same-sex partnership has effect. The latest round of expulsions of Ara
openly queer people to
bic speakers— despite the military’s anticipat
become eligible to receive a federal benefit.
positions within the
New leaders at the National Institutes of ed war on Iraq and the fight against terror
administration and to
ism— has growing numbers
groups such as the Presi Health, Centers for Dis
of U.S. citizens saying the
dential Advisory Coun ease Control and Preven
policy just does not help
tion, and Ftxxl and Drug
cil on HIV/A1DS. The
promote national security.
A dm inistration
have
most visible appointee,
Congress passed no pro
impressed
members
of
the
Scott Evert:, was shuf
gay legislation; it didn’t
com m unity as being
fled out of the “AIDS
even vote on hate crimes or
extremely competent and
czar” office and replaced
employment nondiscrim i
prepared to deal with
by another gay man,
nation legislation, despite a
Joseph O ’Neill, a physician and acknowledged mas their concerns in a fair
pledge by Senate Majority
manner. But administra
ter of federal AIDS programs.
Leader
Tom
Daschle,
Mary M atalin is perhaps the sexual m inori tion support for “absti
D-S.D.,
to
do
so.
He
did try Senate M ajority Leader Tom D aschle, D -S.D .,
nence-only" sex educa
ties com m unity’s most influential ally w ithin
a parliamentary maneuver broke his promise to hold votes on hate crimes
the W hite House. U nfortunately, she a n tion, the disappearance of
in June to bring up the for- and em ploym ent nondiscrim ination legislation
information
on
condoms
nounced she is stepping down from her posi
mer, but his tactics so
at the C D C Web site and
tion as special assistant to Vice President Dick
g(xxl news was that it also denied srxrial conser
incensed Republicans that
audits of AIDS organiza
C heney at the end of the year.
vatives a similar opportunity with their anti-gay
even co-sponsors said no to
tions have fueled fears
In June, Bush signed the Mychal Judge Act,
amendments. Perhaps that only was deferred
the pnxxdural vote.
that social conservatives
making it easier for survivors of public safety
until January, when Congress returns to wrap up
G ridlock on 11 of 13
officers killed in the line of duty to collect a are calling the shots on
the spending bills.
appropriations bills m eant no
these issues.
$250,000 federal death benefit. T he measure
Gay political nemesis Jesse Helms, R-N.C.,
T he Pentagon’s anti Sadly, queer-friendly Republican Mary opportunity to attach the
was named after the gay priest killed in the
retired from the Senate, while ally Paul Well-
measures as amendments. The
gay policy known as Matalin is leaving the White House
Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World
T
The movement made little headway in 2002
but suffered no serious setbacks
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