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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2003)
january 17.2003 j t r t j 19 FTTÎTTïïlTTÎTI bureau, more than 50 people handed in their gifts. “As long as A P’s policy is all chain and no key, doors remain closed,” they wrote in a letter. Queer employees have demanded equal treat ment for more than a decade. They have watched the number of media companies that do not extend health benefits to domestic partners dwindle to nearly none. They have watched some of their best and brightest colleagues leave jobs they loved for companies that showed com passion for their spouses and children. AP and the News Media Guild— the employ ees’ collective bargaining unit— have been nego tiating a new contract. The guild once again demanded the extension of benefits to domestic partners; AP’s response was, once again, silence. adamantly urge Bush to reconsider this ptxir choice for a crucial judicial circuit." In a speech before the 1984 Mississippi Southern Baptist Convention, Pickering lumped homosexuality with social problems, according to The Clarion Ledger, a Jackson, Miss., newspaper. “We as Southern Baptists should lead the way in strengthening tradition al moral values,” he said, adding that society has been degraded by such things as pornography, homosexuality and divorce. Pickering was nominated last year by Presi dent Bush. But his nomination was rejected in March by the Senate Judiciary Committee along party lines, mainly out of concern about his record on civil rights. F M IS S IS S IP P I A fter reviewing Judge Charles Pickering’s record, the Human Rights Cam paign strongly restated Jan. 8 its opposition to his nomination to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. According to political director Winnie Stachelberg, his career has been punctuated by racial divisiveness, and he publicly has shared anti-gay sentiments. “Past behavior is usually the greatest indica tor of future behavior, and Pickerings past has included highly disturbing racial overtones that make him an unusually unacceptable nominee,” she said. “ His opiniorwof gay people also seems to mirror other unpleasant and disturbing preju dices that have defined his career and been the hallmark of his time on the bench.... We Charles Pickering would sit on the 5th U .S . Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, which serves Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana Chinese Antiques, Oriental J inc ' s G allery 1111 S W A lder Street Portland, O reg o n 9 7 2 0 5 5 0 3 .2 2 1 .7 3 7 7 CABINETS I POTTERY I SCREENS I BENCHES I CHAIRS I IL L IN O IS •s* ollowing the lead of its flagship publication, The Orange County Register, Freedom Q>m- munications Inc. has become the first national chain to enact a policy encouraging all of its news papers to print same-sex union announcements. The change— confirmed Dec. 17 by Janet Ryan, assistant to the president of Freedom G>m- munity Newspapers— involves a total of 35 pub lications across 11 states, including The [Alton, 111.I Telegraph, The Bnnmsville [Texas] Herald and The [Panama City, Fla.] News Herald. Since August 2002, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has kept a tally of newspa pers that print same-sex union announcements, and this decision brings the total to 181. “This is another huge step for gay and lesbian couples,” executive director Joan M. Garry said. “We are proud to have fueled a discussion in the newspaper industry that leads corporations to consider the equity of their policies towards gay and lesbian readers. Freedom Communications deserves to he congratulated and should serve as a role model for other companies.” Traveling the Silk B y a vote of 8-1-1, the Springfield City Council has voted to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. It now becomes the states 13th jurisdic tion to enact queer civil R jck Garcia rights legislation and the fourth central Illinois city to do so in the past year. “The passage of a strong gay rights bill in the heart of the heartland sends the distinct and clear message that fair-minded middle Ameri cans support gay and lesbian civil rights,” said Rick Garcia, Equality Illinois political director. “This is a great success and paves the way for a statewide bill to ban anti-gay discrimination.” The City Council heard almost two hours of testimony supporting and opposing the ordi nance. Opponents, mostly fundamentalist Christians, claimed that the law would violate religious institutions’ ability to preach against homosexuality and that queers spread disease and are a threat to children and society. The Illinois House and Senate are expected to take up a statewide nondiscrimination bill shortly, and activists in the cities of Rtxkford and Peoria are coasidering introducing nondiscrimi nation legislation. In Illinois, G xik Giunty and the cities of Bl(X)mington, Champaign, Chicago, Decatur, DeKalb, Evanston, LaGrange, Naperville, Normal, Oak Park and Urbana include sexual orientation in kx:al ordinances. HOUSE and f A B R I C S mm pint • aassts o t t t P t D CUSTOM Dtsicn Í W O RKRO O M 4 0 8 st 6 tu 5 0 3 . 234.9373 Refinance Now ! Lowest refinance rates in years! F i r s t t im e b u y e r s O and lo w d o w n p a y m e n t o p tio n s C a l l m e fo r a fre e c o n s u lt a t io n R ussell Leggroan • 503-249-0843 • northstarm ortgage@ qw est.net N orth star M ortgage • 4320 N E H alsey, Suite 123_________________ GRAND OPENING! FLO R ID A C s3 ivil rights activists are applauding the Key ^ West City G>mmission’s unanimous deci sion to amend the local nondiscrimination law to include trans people. The ordinance is now the most inclusive in Florida and the first in the state specifically protecting trans people from bias in employment, housing, public accommo dations and lending. “Key West’s slogan is ‘One Human Family,’ ” said Scott Fraser, Key West Gay & Lesbian G nti - munity Center director. “The City Gimmission demonstrated that those words are not hollow.” Stratton Pollitzer, Equality Florida’s Southern regional director, predicted that at least three other communities in the state might amend their laws this year to provide similar rights for trans people. “Efforts to protect transgender peo ple are currently under way in St. Petersburg, Monroe County and Seminole,” she noted. Although Key West is the first city in Florida to amend its human rights law to add gender identity or expression, it is not the first in the state to recognize the need to protect trans peo ple from bias. In 2000, Wilton Manors passed a law requiring all business that contract with the city to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policies. JT1 West Slope View condominiums are nestled on a beautiful hillside in Southwest Portland. Enjoy incredible views of the Willamette Valley, easy access to downtown, and a location that's just minutes from downtown Portland, the Oregon Zoo and Washington Park. The newly remodeled residences include air-conditioning and generous, beautiful grounds. 1 Bedroom Flats from $ 8 6 , 9 5 0 r 2 Bedroom Rats from $ 1 2 1 , 9 5 0 WEST LS lope 8420 SW Canyon Lane Beaverton Oregon Open 1pm to 5pm F-riday thru Monday ^ view à For more information please contact D J M a ye r or N ash with the Hasson Company at 5 0 3 .2 9 7 .1 6 1 7 Compiled by New s Editor J im R a d o s t a , who can be reached at jtm @ justout.com .
