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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2003)
, January 3.2003 * Ju st M tj 7 rrTTTîT7T!T1 news defending him in the ethics proceedings. The commission asked the court to rep rimand Wilkerson publicly and fine him $150 for violating the code. Since early 2002, judges specifically have been ordered to avoid “expressions of bias or prejudice," including demeaning remarks based on “sexual orientation.” In recent years, a handful of states have reprimanded judges for ann-gay bias. The only other censure of a Southern judge relat ed to sexual orientation txxurred several years ago in Texas. Judges in Alabama, Illi nois, Michigan and LX-la ware also have faced complaints of anti-gay bias in recent years. SPA RTA C U S 15th innlviraary sail additional A off sale items I ---------------- years of fulfilling your every fantasy KENTUCKY federal appeals court has dismissed an effort by a Louisville gynecologist to Televangelist Pat Robertson’s law center supported strike down a local ordinance making it an anti-gay lawsuit that was dismissed in Kentucky illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexu al orientation and gender identity. T he court Shannon Minter, National Center for Lesbian found that the statute did not affect the reli Rights legal director. “The court recognized that gious practices of J. Barrett Hyman, a Baptist children of same-sex parents must he given the represented by Pat Robertson’s American C en same rights as other children, including the ter for Law and Justice, and that therefore his right to financial support from both parents.” lawsuit was baseless. . “This case was never about Dr. Hymans reli CO LO RAD O gious liberties,” attorney Leslie Cooper said. “It \ federal lawsuit filed Dec. 12 in Denver alleges that Belle Bonfils Memorial Blood was an attempt to tear down important civil à %, < rights protections.” Center violated the Americans with Disabilities Hyman claimed his religious rights were Act by engaging in employment discrimination, violated by the anti-discrimination ordinance Attorney Eric Maxfield asserts that the because it made it illegal for him to bar gay and nonprofit illegally fired a donor technician on trans people from working in his medical office. the basis of his HIV-positive status. The com- A federal district court allowed him to bring plaint also alleges that the termination violat- the suit but dismissed all his claims under the ed Section 504 of the United States Rehabili U.S. Constitution and the Kentucky Constitu tation A ct as well as the Colorado Anti- tion— including freedom of speech, religion Discrimination Act. and association claims. “Bonfils’ action violated the ADA because Hyman appealed the lower court’s decision the employee’s health status posed no danger to to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Cir potential hkxxl donors,” Maxfield said. “This cuit. The court didn’t find it necessary to address act is all the more egregious in that it is perpe the merits of his claims hut found instead that trated by a well-known bkxxl center that had, in the past, worked to dispel the myths surround he didn’t have the right to bring the lawsuit in the first place because the ordinance didn’t ing the safety of Colorado’s blixxl supply. Bonfils affect his religious practices. should have known better.” P E N N S Y L V A N IA three-judge panel of the Pennsylvania Superior Q uirt unanimously affirmed a trial court ruling ordering a nonhiological co parent to pay child support for the five kids she jointly brought into the world and raised with her fonner part ner. The ruling in L.S.K. vs. H.A.N. is one of the first appellate decisions in the county addressing child sup port issues for kids bom to same-sex parents. L.S.K. and her former partner H.A.N. were in a relationship for more than Ann M DeGroot 10 years. During this time, the couple decided to raise a family together. Using anonymous donor insemination, L.S.K. gave birth to their first child in 1990. In 1993, again using anonymous donor insemina tion, L.S.K. gave birth to quadruplets. From the moment the babies were bom, both women shared in all child-rearing respon sibilities until their separation in 1997. H.A.N. then sought and was awarded joint legal cus- tixly of the kids. In 1998, L.S.K. successfully sued H.A.N. for child support. Judges affirmed that decision Dec. 17, holding that because “H.A.N. acted as a co-parent with Mother in all areas concern ing the children’s conception, care and sup port,” she was barred from claiming she owed no duty of support. "This case is about fairness to children," said 10 % M IN N E S O T A he Minneapolis City Council approved a measure Dec. 13 requiring large contrac tors with the city to offer equal benefits to all employees. The legislation, modeled on ordinances passed in seven municipal ities throughout the coun try, will go into effect Jan. 1, 2004. San Francisco passed the first such measure in 1997, according to OutFront Min nesota public policy director Monica Meyer. A pending ordinance in New York City will increase the number of businesses providing parity in benefits to their employees. Meyer pointed out that such benefits typical ly cost no more than covering employees’ spous es and have minimal fiscal impact. Moreover, the measure exempts small businesses and reli gious entities and permits contractors that do not offer equal benefits to comply by simply cer tifying that they would do so if asked by an employee eligible to receive them. “We believe this ordinance is business- friendly while also advancing the interests of the city and workers,” said Ann M. DeGroot, Out- Front Minnesota executive director. “Overall, it is a strong statement about the positive values of this community.” JH r Compiled by News Editor J im R apost A, who can be reached at jim@justout.com. 300 SW 12th ave. 503.224.2604 jO O IO I Refinance Now! Lowest refinance rates in years! 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